afar

¹

[uh-fahr]

adverb

1. from, at, or to a distance; far away (usually followed byoff ).

   He saw the castle afar off.

Afar

²

[ah-fahr]

noun

plural

Afars, Afara ,

plural

Afar .

1. a member of a nomadic Muslim people living in Eritrea, Djibouti, and northern Ethiopia.

2. the Northern Cushitic language spoken by the Afars.

afar

/ əˈfɑː /

adverb

1. at, from, or to a great distance

noun

1. a great distance (esp in the phrase from afar )

Word History and Origins

Origin of afar¹

1125–75; Middle English a fer, on ferr; replacing Old English feorran. See a- ¹ (perhaps also a- ² for the meaning “from”), far

Word History and Origins

Origin of afar¹

C14: a fer, altered from earlier on fer and of fer; see _a- ², _far

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. from afar, from a long way off.

   The princess saw him riding toward her from afar.

Example Sentences

These distant cells appeared to influence the planarian stem cells' position and function during regeneration, even from afar.

Read more on Science Daily

As well as British holidaymakers, the BBC has spoken to Britons anxiously watching from afar as their loved ones prepare for impact.

Read more on BBC

While Khartoum has remained relatively calm since the army reclaimed control earlier this year, drone attacks have continued, with the RSF repeatedly accused of targeting military and civilian infrastructure from afar.

Read more on Barron's

Philipp Egger observed this eagle owl's nest from afar for more than four years.

Read more on BBC

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is racing to adopt new technologies that can spot drones from afar and take them out without wasting expensive weaponry.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal