Main Entry:

Sem·ite

Pronunciation:

\ˈse-ˌmīt, especially British ˈsē-ˌmīt\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

French sémite, from Sem Shem, from Late Latin, from Greek Sēm, from Hebrew Shēm

Date:

1848

1 a: a member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs b: a descendant of these peoples2: a member of a modern people speaking a Semitic language