Arab

1 of 2

noun

Ar·​ab ˈa-rəb How to pronounce Arab (audio)
ˈer-əb;
 dialectal also  ˈā-ˌrab
1
a
: a member of an Arabic-speaking people
b
: a member of the Semitic people of the Arabian Peninsula
2
Arab adjective

Arab

2 of 2

abbreviation

Examples of Arab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And in Tunisia, once the only democratic success story of the Arab Spring rebellions, the president is steering the state toward increasing autocracy. Ruth MacLean, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024 Numerous European and African nations sponsored the resolution, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Israel, Turkey, South Korea, Singapore, Peru, and the United Arab Emirates, to name a few. Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024 Famine is 'imminent' in northern Gaza, with many facing 'catastrophic' levels of hunger: Report Priority for evacuations to the United Arab Emirates has been given to kids and adult cancer patients. Ines De La Cuetara, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2024 The report said an unnamed top Israeli defense official held talks with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan to build momentum for the plan, which drew a fierce backlash from Hamas while reportedly creating divisions in Israel’s war Cabinet. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024 In some countries, like Australia and the United Arab Emirates, more workers are entering the fossil fuel industry than exiting it, the report found. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 But, sandwiched between the two superpowers, the United Arab Emirates is beginning to punch above its weight. TIME, 20 Mar. 2024 The aid dispatch comes as Cyprus, the European Commission, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom are working to establish a maritime corridor to deliver aid assistance directly to Gaza. Scott McLean, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 Today, the United States has some 45,000 troops in the region, including around 2,500 troops in Iraq, 900 in Syria, and others stationed at bases in countries such as Bahrain, Djibouti, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin Arabus, Arabs, from Greek Arab-, Araps, of Semitic origin; akin to Akkadian Arabu, Aribi desert nomads, Arabic A'rāb Bedouins

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of Arab was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Arab

Cite this Entry

“Arab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arab. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Arab

noun
Ar·​ab
ˈar-əb
1
a
: a member of the Semitic people of the Arabian Peninsula
b
: a member of an Arabic-speaking people
2
Arab adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Arab

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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