Arabic

American  

[ar-uh-bik] / ˈær ə bɪk /

adjective

1. of, belonging to, or derived from the language or literature of the Arabs.

2. noting, pertaining to, or derived from an alphabetic script in which etymologically short vowels are not normally represented, used for the writing of Arabic probably since about the fourth century a.d., and adopted with modifications by Persian, Urdu, and many other languages.

3. of or relating to Arabs.

4. of or relating to Arabia or its inhabitants; Arabian.

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noun

1. a Semitic language that developed out of the language of the Arabians of the time of Muhammad, now spoken in countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Ar, Ar.

2. the standard literary and classical language as established by the Quran.

Arabic British  

/ ˈærəbɪk /

noun

1. the language of the Arabs, spoken in a variety of dialects; the official language of Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, the Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. It is estimated to be the native language of some 75 million people throughout the world. It belongs to the Semitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages and has its own alphabet, which has been borrowed by certain other languages such as Urdu

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adjective

1. denoting or relating to this language, any of the peoples that speak it, or the countries in which it is spoken

Other Word Forms

• anti-Arabic adjective
• non-Arabic adjective
• pro-Arabic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Arabic

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English arabik, from Latin Arabicus “Arabian,” equivalent to Arab(ia) + -icus adjective suffix; -ic

Example Sentences

He studies it, follows life in Morocco closely, and is currently trying to learn Arabic.

From BBC

He is a graduate of Wayne State University, where he studied journalism and Arabic and was managing editor of the student newspaper, the South End.

From The Wall Street Journal

McCormick was born in Egypt, coming to the U.S. as a child, and she still speaks Arabic.

From Barron's

The BBC has found two other Telegram accounts in Arabic making similar offers for joining Russia's military.

From BBC

Some teachers point to boards covered in English letters; others invite pupils to come forward and write basic Arabic words.

From BBC