a member of a Semitic people inhabiting Arabia and other countries of the Middle East.
a member of any Arabic-speaking people.
Also called Arabber. Sometimes Offensive. a street peddler.
Archaic: Sometimes Offensive. street arab.
Arabia.
Arabian.
Arabic.
a member of a Semitic people originally inhabiting Arabia, who spread throughout the Middle East, N Africa, and Spain during the seventh and eighth centuries ad
a lively intelligent breed of horse, mainly used for riding
(modifier) of or relating to the Arabs
the Arab nations
The meanings “street peddler” and “vagabond” (in this second sense, also called a street arab ) are sometimes perceived as insulting because of their reference to the historically nomadic peoples of Arabia. The meaning “vagabond” has fallen into disuse. However, street vendors in Baltimore, Maryland, are called Arabs; in fact, it is a self-referential term—that is, one used by the vendors themselves.
The pronunciation of Arab as , with an initial sound and secondary stress on the second syllable, is sometimes used facetiously or disparagingly. It is especially common in the street-peddler and street-arab senses and is usually considered offensive in any sense.
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin Arab-, stem of Arabs, from Greek Árab-, stem of Áraps “Arabian, an Arabian, Arab,” from Arabic ʿArab, a self-designation
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Raju Ram, 33, also from Rajasthan, has been on a tanker in the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates since April, waiting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
The militant group is focusing on rebuilding the military capabilities it lost during the war, including parts of its damaged tunnel infrastructure, Arab and Israeli officials have said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
How the RSF appears to have an inexhaustible supply of drones has been the subject of speculation, but observers say it has a wealthy Persian Gulf patron of its own in the United Arab Emirates.
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026
President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform earlier this week that he paused a planned strike on Iran at the request of the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
“Nineteen in all. Two from the United Arab Emirates. One each from Lebanon and Egypt.”
From "Towers Falling" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
