Arab

1 of 2

noun

Ar·​ab ˈa-rəb How to pronounce Arab (audio)
ˈer-əb;
 dialectal also  ˈā-ˌrab
1
a
: a member of an Arabic-speaking people
b
: a member of the Semitic people of the Arabian Peninsula
2
Arab adjective

Arab

2 of 2

abbreviation

Examples of Arab 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
According to Israeli data, the Golan Heights is home to around 50,000 people, roughly split between Jewish Israelis and Arab Druze, many of whom still identify as Syrians. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024 Other transitions after the Arab Spring uprisings have not gone well, either. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024 Massad Boulos Trump tapped Massad Boulos, father-in-law to his daughter, Tiffany Trump, as his senior advisor on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Sara Dorn, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024 The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the U.S.-backed Kurds. Albert Aji and Matthew Lee The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Arab 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin Arabus, Arabs, from Greek Arab-, Araps, of Semitic origin; akin to Akkadian Arabu, Aribi desert nomads, Arabic A'rāb Bedouins

First Known Use

Noun

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of Arab was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Arab

Cite this Entry

“Arab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arab. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

Arab

noun
Ar·​ab
ˈar-əb
1
a
: a member of the Semitic people of the Arabian Peninsula
b
: a member of an Arabic-speaking people
2
Arab adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Arab

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