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
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.
The film business may be in freefall, beset by box office struggles and corporate consolidation that’s left Hollywood with fewer studios, but more than a half-dozen distributors like Sumerian have debuted in the past two years, hoping to take advantage of all the upheaval. Brent Lang, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026 To many people’s surprise, Sumerian, a newcomer to those lofty acquisition heights, had come out on top in a deal that was announced two weeks later during the Berlin Film Festival, where the movie had its international premiere. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026 But there were also few domestic pick-ups, including of Sundance hit Josephine, a psychological family drama starring Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan and newcomer Mason Reeves, which new domestic distributor Sumerian Pictures acquired in a competitive seven-figure deal. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026 Their first demo earned the attention of underground metal label Sumerian, which signed the band and put them on the road with other acts on the label. Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 29 Oct. 2025 Although kept alive in scholarly settings, much like Latin was in medieval Europe, Sumerian was no longer spoken in ancient Mesopotamia after about 2000 BCE. Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sumerian was in 1878

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Cite this Entry

“Sumerian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sumerian. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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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