Assyrian

noun

As·​syr·​i·​an ə-ˈsir-ē-ən 

plural Assyrians

1

a

: a native or inhabitant of ancient Assyria

b

: a member of a predominantly Christian ethnic group whose homeland corresponds to northern Mesopotamia, southeastern Anatolia, and adjacent regions and who now also live in diaspora communities around the world

2

a

: the dialect of Akkadian spoken by ancient Assyrians

b

: the dialects of Aramaic spoken by modern Assyrians

Assyrian adjective

Examples of Assyrian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Bnei Menashe, or sons of Manasseh, claim descent from one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, who were sent into exile by the Assyrian Empire more than 27 centuries ago. —Staff Report, Sun Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2024

The event, organized by the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, will be held at the Morton Grove Park District on the 6800 block of Dempster Street, per an event flyer, with an opening ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m. Aug. 19. —Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a