Arabic

1 of 2

noun

Ar·​a·​bic ˈa-rə-bik How to pronounce Arabic (audio)
ˈer-ə-
: a Semitic language originally of the Arabs of the Hejaz and Nejd that is now the prevailing speech of a wide region of southwestern Asia and northern Africa

Arabic

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or constituting the language Arabic
Arabic neologisms of the nineteenth century …Bernard Lewis
His bibliography contains no classical Arabic texts and only a handful of dubiously transliterated recent Arabic titles …Pierre Cachia
… edited and reviewed by Arabic scholars in Paris …Edwin McDowell
2
: expressed in or utilizing Arabic numerals
21 is an Arabic number.
Arabic notation
3
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Arabia or the Arabs
As Arabic music permeates various other sounds, so are western sounds finding their way into various Arabic musics.Hank Bordowitz
The Middle East meets the Wild West in this variation on Arabic hummus.Steven Raichlen
There still exist some folk instruments in Portugal whose names indicate their Arabic origin.Alexander Buchner

Examples of Arabic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The emphasis on Arabic is part of a broad effort to get Emirati studies into schools, in a country where expats outnumber locals nearly nine to one. Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 25 June 2025 Support in Arabic and Korean is available upon request. Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 25 June 2025
Adjective
There’s no getting out of Arabic lessons in the UAE. Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 25 June 2025 These tongue-twisting Z stars are Arabic names that roughly translate to English as the northern claw and southern claw, respectively. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for Arabic

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Arabic was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arabic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arabic. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

Arabic

1 of 2 adjective
Ar·​a·​bic ˈar-ə-bik How to pronounce Arabic (audio)
1
2
: expressed in or making use of Arabic numerals

Arabic

2 of 2 noun
: a Semitic language that is the chief language of a wide region of southwestern Asia and northern Africa

Medical Definition

arabic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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