Main Entry: ¹Ary·an

Pronunciation: \ˈa-rē-ən, ˈer-ē-; ˈär-yən\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Sanskrit ārya noble, belonging to an ancient people of northern India speaking an Indo-European dialect

Date: 1839

1 : indo-european
2 a : of or relating to a hypothetical ethnic type illustrated by or descended from early speakers of Indo-European languages b : nordic c —used in Nazism to designate a supposed master race of non-Jewish Caucasians usually having Nordic features
3 : of or relating to Indo-Iranian or its speakers