Saracen

[ sar-uh-suhn ]

noun
  1. History/Historical. a member of any of the nomadic tribes on the Syrian borders of the Roman Empire.

  2. (in later use) an Arab.

  1. a Muslim, especially in the period of the Crusades.

adjective
  1. Also Sar·a·cen·ic [sar-uh-sen-ik], /ˌsær əˈsɛn ɪk/, Sar·a·cen·i·cal. of or relating to the Saracens.

Origin of Saracen

1
before 900; Middle English, Old English <Medieval Latin Saracēnus<Late Greek Sarakēnós

Other words from Saracen

  • Sar·a·cen·ism, noun

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How to use Saracen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Saracen

Saracen

/ (ˈsærəsən) /


noun
  1. history a member of one of the nomadic Arabic tribes, esp of the Syrian desert, that harassed the borders of the Roman Empire in that region

    • a Muslim, esp one who opposed the crusades

    • (in later use) any Arab

adjective
  1. of or relating to Arabs of either of these periods, regions, or types

  2. designating, characterizing, or relating to Muslim art or architecture

Origin of Saracen

1
C13: from Old French Sarrazin, from Late Latin Saracēnus, from Late Greek Sarakēnos, perhaps from Arabic sharq sunrise, from shāraqa to rise

Derived forms of Saracen

  • Saracenic (ˌsærəˈsɛnɪk) or Saracenical, adjective

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