Afroasiatic

American  

[af-roh-ey-zhee-at-ik, -ey-shee-, -ey-zee-] / ˌæf roʊˌeɪ ʒiˈæt ɪk, -ˌeɪ ʃi-, -ˌeɪ zi- /

Or Afro-Asiatic

noun

1. Formerly Hamito-Semitic.  a family of languages including as subfamilies Semitic, Egyptian, Berber, Cushitic, and Chadic.

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adjective

1. of, belonging to, or pertaining to Afroasiatic.

Etymology

Origin of Afroasiatic

First recorded in 1955–60; Afro- + Asiatic

Example Sentences

Even with this broad time frame, contemporary linguists widely accept Afroasiatic as the oldest language family.

From Scientific American

Football, basketball and all team sports have their roots in Central America’s ancient, seemingly Afroasiatic Olmec civilization.

From Washington Post

These were the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa who spoke Afroasiatic languages, a world away from Arabic, and who practiced various animist cults.

From New York Times

But the exact point at which Hebrew and Arabic diverged from other Afroasiatic languages is heavily disputed.

From Scientific American