Jump to:

• afar
  afar

  adverb

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

  noun

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

afar

¹ American  

[uh-fahr] / əˈfɑr /

adverb

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

   He saw the castle afar off.

---

idioms

1. from afar, from a long way off.

   The princess saw him riding toward her from afar.

Afar ² American  

[ah-fahr] / ˈɑ fɑr /

noun

Afars, plural Afara plural

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 British  

/ əˈfɑː /

adverb

1. at, from, or to a great distance

---

noun

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

Etymology

Origin of afar

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

Explanation

If something's off at a distance, you can describe it as being afar. You might write a letter to your pen pal in Japan, and say, "This note comes to you from afar." Afar is a poetic and old-fashioned way to say "far away" or "distant." If your summer visitors have traveled from afar, they've come a long way to see you, and if your boyfriend moves to Australia, you might have to continue your relationship from afar. The word is a shortened form of the Old English of feor, in which of means "of" or "on," and feor is "far, remote, or distant."

Example Sentences

“But you already know you can’t pet us! The fact that we are hanging out in the park doesn’t mean we are pets. Admire us from afar and leave us in peace, OK?”

From Slate • May 27, 2026

While Ripley and Berger were negotiating the acquisition of the retail chain, Goad was stalking the brand from afar, as she puts it now, hoping to one day work on its turnaround.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

"Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar," his family said on Tuesday.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

But Ogwumike has seen the changes internally and from afar, and she thinks the Sparks are ready to compete now.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Sometimes she drew it as seen from afar, sometimes she chose one of its buildings and drew it in detail.

From "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau