Arab

¹ American  

[ar-uhb] / ˈær əb /

noun

1. a member of a Semitic people inhabiting Arabia and other countries of the Middle East.

2. a member of any Arabic-speaking people.

3. Arabian horse.

4. Also called Arabber.  Sometimes Offensive. a street peddler.

5. Archaic: Sometimes Offensive. street arab.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Arabs.

2. Arabian.

3. Arabic.

Arab. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Arabia.

2. Arabian.

3. Arabic.

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Arab British  

noun

1. 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

2. a lively intelligent breed of horse, mainly used for riding

3. (modifier) of or relating to the Arabs

   the Arab nations

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Sensitive Note

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.

Pronunciation

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.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Arab adjective
• non-Arab noun
• pro-Arab adjective

Etymology

Origin of Arab

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

Example Sentences

Researchers at Capital Economics forecast Qatar’s gross domestic product to shrink by 13% this year, the United Arab Emirates’s by 8% and Saudi Arabia’s by 6.6%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

That was second only to the United Arab Emirates, which recorded $6.4 billion in transactions, almost entirely in Dubai.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

Zelensky himself paid high-profile visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and Syria -- becoming one of the first foreign leaders to visit the region during the war.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

If that continues it would be able to raise billions, a prospect that horrifies Gulf Arab states.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

One of the commemorative events was a race between Jableh and Lattakia, in which swimmers from all over the Arab world would swim thirty kilometers through the Mediterranean.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers