Ethiopic Digit Three

It records a number, not a syllable. In ፻፳፫, ፻, ፳, and ፫ add to 100 + 20 + 3. Lines above and below traditionally distinguish numeral strings from ordinary Ethiopic writing.

Numeral origins are disputed: Greek letters used as numbers, perhaps through Coptic Christian writing, are a common account; a 2023 study argues for local Ethiopic origins. It names Ḥǝnzat Stela 1, an inscribed stone, as its oldest evidence for writing numbers with signs; earlier inscriptions spelled numbers out. Ethiopic writing grew from South Arabian script. Inscriptions appear by the 2nd/3rd centuries CE; vowel-marked forms by the 4th century.

The Ethiopic script writes Ge'ez, Amharic, and Tigrinya. As of 2026, European digits are common in modern writing, while Ge'ez remains liturgical.