Semitic
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Etymology
From the English Semite, an 18th century ethnological label from the German semitisch, Ancient Greek Σημ (Sēm), from the Hebrew שֵׂם (Šēm, “Shem”), the name of the eldest son of Noah in biblical tradition (Genesis 5.32, 6.10, 10.21), considered the forefather of the Semitic peoples. Perhaps derived from the Akkadian šumu, name or son.
[edit] Adjective
Semitic (not comparable)
- Of or pertaining to a subdivision of Afro-Asiatic Semitic languages: Amharic, Arabic, Aramaic, Syriac, Akkadian, Hebrew, Maltese, Tigrigna, Phoenician etc.
- Of or pertaining to the Semites: Semitic people.
- (biblical) Of or pertaining to the descendants of Shem, the eldest of three sons of Noah.
- In a narrower sense, of or pertaining to the Israeli, Jewish, or Hebrew people.
[edit] Alternative forms
[edit] Translations
pertaining to the Semitic subdivision of Afro-Asiatic languages
[edit] Proper noun
Semitic
- The Semitic languages in general.
