Sumerian

noun

Su·​me·​ri·​an sü-ˈmer-ē-ən How to pronounce Sumerian (audio)
-ˈmir-
1
: a native of Sumer
2
: the language of the Sumerians that has no known linguistic affinities
Sumerian adjective

Examples of Sumerian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Cue the chemistry Sumerian written history goes back to the 27th century B.C. and more or less ends a millennium later when the civilization collapsed after an invasion by the Elamites. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024 Around the same time as Sumerians, Egyptians had been composing ritual recitations about the sky and the iron (bjA) in it. Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023 The pickup marks the second acquisition for Sumerian’s new film and streaming division, which launched this year. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 31 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Sumerian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sumerian was in 1878

Dictionary Entries Near Sumerian

Cite this Entry

“Sumerian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sumerian. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

Sumerian

noun
Su·​me·​ri·​an sü-ˈmer-ē-ən How to pronounce Sumerian (audio)
-ˈmir-
1
: a native of Sumer
2
: the language of the Sumerians that has no known relationships to other languages
Sumerian adjective
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