Syriac

noun

Syr·​i·​ac ˈsir-ē-ˌak 

1

: a literary language based on an eastern Aramaic dialect and used as the literary and liturgical language by several Eastern Christian churches

2

: Aramaic spoken by Christian communities

Syriac adjective

Examples of Syriac in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ismael Adnan Yaqoob/Anadolu via Getty Images In Iraq, people attend a Christmas Eve service at the Monastery of the Martyrs Mar Behnam and Marth Sarah, belonging to the Syriac Catholics in the town of Qaraqosh. — CBS News, 24 Dec. 2025

These include diverse Christian communities, from Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox to Roman Catholic and Protestant. — Ramazan Kılınç, The Conversation, 9 Dec. 2025

After the mosque visit, Leo held a private meeting with Turkey's Christian leaders at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem. — CBS News, 29 Nov. 2025

That 2020 census figure for Iraqi Americans includes those who identify as Iraqi, Chaldean, Assyrian, or Syriac. — Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 1 Apr. 2025

Syria's leading churches — including the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, and Melkite Greek Catholic communities — have expressed concern over the recent violence. — Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin syriacus Syrian, from Greek syriakos, from Syria, ancient country in Asia

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Syriac

noun

Syr·​i·​ac ˈsir-ē-ˌak 

1

: a literary language based on an eastern Aramaic dialect and used as the literary and liturgical language by several eastern Christian churches

2

: Aramaic spoken by Christian communities

Syriac adjective