: a Semitic language originally of the Arabs of the Hejaz and Nejd that is now the prevailing speech of a wide region of southwestern Asia and northern Africa
1
: of, relating to, or constituting the language Arabic
… Arabic neologisms of the nineteenth century …—
Bernard Lewis
Bernard LewisHis bibliography contains no classical Arabic texts and only a handful of dubiously transliterated recent Arabic titles …—Pierre Cachia
Pierre Cachia… edited and reviewed by Arabic scholars in Paris …—Edwin McDowell
Edwin McDowell2
: expressed in or utilizing Arabic numerals
21 is an Arabic number.
Arabic notation
3
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Arabia or the Arabs
As Arabic music permeates various other sounds, so are western sounds finding their way into various Arabic musics.—Hank Bordowitz
Hank BordowitzThe Middle East meets the Wild West in this variation on Arabic hummus.—Steven Raichlen
Steven RaichlenThere still exist some folk instruments in Portugal whose names indicate their Arabic origin.—Alexander Buchner
Alexander BuchnerExamples of Arabic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
If the team pushes forward with Enoch’s development, Popović believes it could be used to assess scripts such as Syriac, Arabic, Greek and Latin.
‘A massive step forward’
Scholars who were not involved with the study were encouraged by the findings.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 15 June 2025
Memes of celebration, handing out sweets, and taunts from a Shiite cleric who had forewarned last year that the strike was coming spread on Arabic social media.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for Arabic
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Noun
The book is available in 19 languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, French, Haitian Creole, Hindi, K’iche’ (Quiché)/Kxlantzij, Mam, Portuguese, Pulaar, Punjabi, Q’eqchi’ (Kekchí), Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Turkish, Vietnamese and Wolof.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
If the team pushes forward with Enoch’s development, Popović believes it could be used to assess scripts such as Syriac, Arabic, Greek and Latin.
‘A massive step forward’
Scholars who were not involved with the study were encouraged by the findings.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Adjective
Multiple Arabic news outlets also reported that the strike targeted a Houthi Supreme Military Council meeting, with other Houthi figures present.
—Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 15 June 2025
Memes of celebration, handing out sweets, and taunts from a Shiite cleric who had forewarned last year that the strike was coming spread on Arabic social media.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for Arabic
Cite this Entry
“Arabic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arabic. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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