Samaritan

American  

[suh-mar-i-tn] / səˈmær ɪ tn /

noun

1. an inhabitant of Samaria.

2. good Samaritan.

3. any of the dialects of Aramaic spoken by the Samaritans in ancient Israel and until recently still spoken in Nablus.

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adjective

1. pertaining to Samaria or to Samaritans.

Samaritan British  

/ səˈmærɪtən /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Samaria

2. short for Good Samaritan

3. a member of a voluntary organization ( the Samaritans ) which offers counselling to people in despair, esp by telephone

4. the dialect of Aramaic spoken in Samaria

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adjective

1. of or relating to Samaria

Samaritan Idioms  

1. see good Samaritan.

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Other Word Forms

• Samaritanism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Samaritan

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English, from Late Latin plural adjective and noun Samarītānī “Samaritan, Samaritans” (from Greek Samarī́t(ēs) “a Samaritan,” derivative of Samáreia “Samaria”)

Example Sentences

"Clair is a true inspiration, both as a runner and a Samaritans listening volunteer, and her incredible spirit was clear for all to see on Sunday," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

In the case of Canelo, Good Samaritans found him and brought him to the Pasadena Humane Society, where veterinary staff tended to his badly burned paws and smoke-irritated eyes.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Certainly the good Samaritans must have known the two boatmen were not going to be put on trial, owing to lack of evidence.

From Slate • Oct. 21, 2025

The Samaritans say that remote volunteering is currently being piloted and if it is approved, it would only be an option alongside working in a branch.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

She's somewhere behind the two paramedics, the police officer, three of the good Samaritans who stopped to help, and the little boy who left his teddy bear on the subway.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi