Cushite

Cushite is an adjective with both historical and linguistic uses. Historically, it referred to Cush, a region mentioned in ancient Egyptian and biblical sources as lying to the south of Egypt. In that sense, Cushite peoples were those described as inhabiting parts of the Nile valley and the Horn of Africa. In contemporary usage, applying the term to modern peoples is generally considered outdated or too broad.

Linguistically, Cushitic (or Cushitic languages) denotes a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. Cushitic languages are spoken across the Horn of Africa and adjoining regions. Major languages include Somali, Oromo, and Afar; other Cushitic languages include Beja, Saho, Rendille, and many others. The internal classification into subgroups varies among scholars; divisions commonly include northern, eastern, and southern/central Cushitic groups.

Geographically, Cushite-identified regions overlap with present-day Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, and parts of Kenya. Culturally, Cushite-speaking communities are diverse, with a wide range of languages, customs, and histories. In modern scholarship, "Cushitic" is the preferred term when referring to the language family, while denoting peoples by the umbrella label "Cushite" is avoided in favor of specific national or ethnic identities.

See also: Cush, Cushites, Afroasiatic languages, Cushitic languages.