Arabic

1 of 2

noun

Ar·​a·​bic ˈa-rə-bik How to pronounce Arabic (audio)
ˈer-ə-
: 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

Arabic

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or constituting the language Arabic
Arabic neologisms of the nineteenth century …Bernard Lewis
His bibliography contains no classical Arabic texts and only a handful of dubiously transliterated recent Arabic titles …Pierre Cachia
… edited and reviewed by Arabic scholars in Paris …Edwin McDowell
2
: 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
The Middle East meets the Wild West in this variation on Arabic hummus.Steven Raichlen
There still exist some folk instruments in Portugal whose names indicate their Arabic origin.Alexander Buchner

Examples of Arabic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The church sign touts worship services in English, Creole, Spanish, Nigerian and Arabic. Scott Broden, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 The app supports over a dozen languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, and Vietnamese. Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2025
Adjective
The fry menu offers Arabic fries with za'atar and date ketchup, Greek fries with oregano, feta, and lemon aioli, Italian fries with Grana Padano and truffle aioli, and Spanish fries with chorizo, manchego, and Spanish aioli. Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025 German, English, Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic with English subtitles. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for Arabic

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Arabic was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arabic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arabic. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Arabic

1 of 2 adjective
Ar·​a·​bic ˈar-ə-bik How to pronounce Arabic (audio)
1
2
: expressed in or making use of Arabic numerals

Arabic

2 of 2 noun
: a Semitic language that is the chief language of a wide region of southwestern Asia and northern Africa

Medical Definition

arabic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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