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Chaldean

[kal-dee-uh n]
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noun
  1. one of an ancient Semitic people that formed the dominant element in Babylonia.
  2. the indigenous Semitic language of the Chaldeans, Aramaic being used as an auxiliary language.
  3. Biblical Aramaic.
  4. an astrologer, soothsayer, or enchanter. Dan. 1:4; 2:2.
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adjective
  1. of or belonging to ancient Chaldea.
  2. pertaining to astrology, occult learning, etc.
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Also Chal·dee [kal-dee, kal-dee] /kælˈdi, ˈkæl di/.

Origin of Chaldean

1575–85; < Latin Chaldae(us) (< Greek Chaldaîos Chaldaea, an astrologer) + -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for chaldee

Historical Examples

  • He next proceeded to learn the Chaldee, Syriac, and Samaritan dialects.

    Self-Help

    Samuel Smiles

  • That is, as the Chaldee explaineth it, a hundred for one, when he measured it.

  • The brazen serpent was called the Word by the Chaldee paraphrast.

  • The skin, as compared with his own, was very dark; yet it was whiter than that of any other Chaldee.

    Istar of Babylon

    Margaret Horton Potter

  • The Chaldee paraphrase (less frequently some other version) may be added.

British Dictionary definitions for chaldee

Chaldee

noun
  1. a nontechnical term for Biblical Aramaic, which was once believed to be the language of the ancient Chaldeans
  2. the actual language of the ancient ChaldeansSee also Chaldean (def. 2)
  3. an inhabitant of ancient Chaldea; a Chaldean
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Also (for senses 1, 2): Chaldaic (kælˈdeɪɪk)

Chaldean

Chaldaean

noun
  1. a member of an ancient Semitic people who controlled S Babylonia from the late 8th to the late 7th century bc
  2. the dialect of Babylonian spoken by this people
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adjective
  1. of or relating to the ancient Chaldeans or their language
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for chaldee

Chaldean

adj.

with + -an + Latin Chaldaeus, from Greek Khaldaios, from Aramaic Kaldaie, from Akkadian (mat)Kaldu "the Chaldeans."

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper