English Explanatory Dictionary

Semite

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A member of a modern people that speak a Semitic language.
  2. A member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia and East Africa such as the Akkadians, Assyrians, Arameans, Phoenicians, Canaanites, Hebrews, Arabs, or Aksumites.
  3. A descendant of any of these peoples.
  4. A descendant of the biblical Patriarch Shem.
  5. A Jew.

Pronunciation

/ˈsiː.maɪt/ /ˈsɛm.aɪt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Semite.wav /ˈsɪm.aɪt/

Word forms

Semite Semites Shemite

Etymology

From Sem, Shem + -ite, from Late Latin Sēm, from Ancient Greek Σήμ (Sḗm), from Biblical Hebrew שם (šēm). Compare German Semit, New Latin Sēmīta, French sémite.

Related words

Semitic Semitism

Derived words

allosemitism anti-Semite prosemite Semitist Semitization Semitize Semitology
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