Syriac

English

The sixth beatitude (Matthew 5:8) from an East Syriac Peshitta Bible.
Tuvayhon l'aylên dadkên blebhon: dhenon nehzon l'alâhâ.
'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.'

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪɹiˌæk/

Etymology

From Ancient Greek συριακός (suriakós), an adjective pertaining to Συρία (Suría), the Greek name for Aram, and probably based on the name Assyria.

Proper noun

Syriac (plural Syriacs)

1. An Aramaic language, part of the Semitic language family, specifically:

   The language of the kingdom of Osroene.

   The liturgical language of various churches with roots in the Middle East.

Related terms

• Syria, Syrian, Assyrian, Assyria, Aramaic, Aramaean.

See also

• Wiktionary's coverage of Syriac terms

Translations

language

• Arabic: اَلسُّرْيَانِيَّة‎ (as-suryāniyya)
• Aramaic:

  Syriac: ܠܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ‎ (leššānā suryāyā)

• Armenian: ասորերեն (hy) (asoreren)
• Czech: syrština f
• Finnish: syyria (fi)
• German: Syrisch (de) n
• Hebrew: סורית‎ (surit)

• Italian: siriaco m
• Malay: bahasa Suriani
• Persian: سریانی‎ (Soryâni)
• Polish: syryjski (pl) m
• Portuguese: siríaco (pt) m
• Russian: сири́йский (ru) m (siríjskij)
• Swedish: syriska c
• Turkish: Süryanice (tr)

Further reading

• ISO 639-3 code syr (SIL)

• Ethnologue entry for Classical Syriac, syc
• Ethnologue entry for Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, aii
• Ethnologue entry for Bohtan Neo-Aramaic, bhn
• Ethnologue entry for Chaldean Neo-Aramaic, cld

• Ethnologue entry for Mlahsö, lhs
• Ethnologue entry for Koy Sanjaq Surat, kqd
• Ethnologue entry for Senaya, syn
• Ethnologue entry for Turoyo, tru

Noun

Syriac (plural Syriacs)

1. A speaker of the Syriac language (see above).
2. A member of the Syriac Orthodox Church.

Translations

Syriac speaker

• Arabic: سُرْيَانِي‎ m (suryānī), سُرْيَانِيَة‎ f (suryāniya), سُرْيَان‎ pl (suryān)
• Armenian: ասորի (asori)

• Portuguese: siríaco (pt) m

Syriac Orthodox Church member

• Armenian: ասորի (asori)

• Swedish: syrian (sv)

Adjective

Syriac (not comparable)

1. Of, pertaining to, or being the Syriac language, its speakers, or their culture.