Semite

[ sem-ahyt or, especially British, see-mahyt ]

/ ˈsɛm aɪt or, especially British, ˈsi maɪt /

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noun

a member of any of various ancient and modern peoples originating in southwestern Asia, including the Akkadians, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs.

a Jew.

a member of any of the peoples descended from Shem, the eldest son of Noah.

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Origin of Semite

1870–75; <New Latin sēmīta<Late Latin Sēm (<Greek Sḗm<Hebrew ShēmShem) + -īta-ite¹

OTHER WORDS FROM Semite

non-Semite, noun

Words nearby Semite

semisubmersible, semisubmersible rig, semisubterranean, semisweet, semisynthetic, Semite, semiterrestrial, Semitic, Semitics, Semitism, Semitist

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Semite in a sentence

Charles “Father” Coughlin, a raving anti-Semite, was one of the most popular radio hosts in the country.
Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America?|Emily Shire|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Nolde was an anti-Semite and member of the Danish Nazi Party.
Top Nazis And Their Complicated Relationship With Artists|William O’Connor|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It seems the death of anti-Semite Hugo Chavez did little to improve the fortunes of Venezuelan Jews.
How the Venezuelan Government Treats Its Jewish Citizens|Justin Green|March 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
For the anti-Semite every rich Jew is exploitive, every poor Jew a burden on society.
Pinkwashing: Another Conspiracy Theory|Alan M. Dershowitz|March 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST

For the anti-Semite, both capitalism and Communism are Jewish plots.
Pinkwashing: Another Conspiracy Theory|Alan M. Dershowitz|March 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The Conservatives, hoping to win votes, even adopted an anti-Semite clause in their programme.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 8|Various
They were Semites with the inborn religious spirit which is characteristic of the Semite, and they were also a mixed race.
Early Israel and the Surrounding Nations|Archibald Sayce
His force diminished, his numbers lessened, and the subjugated Semite increased in strength.
Early Israel and the Surrounding Nations|Archibald Sayce
The day was fine,—the air more bracing than we had found since leaving the Yo-Semite.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 81, July, 1864|Various
But when it comes to calling me an anti-Semite, it is obvious you are not in a fit state to continue this interview.
Ghetto Comedies|Israel Zangwill

British Dictionary definitions for Semite

Semite

less commonly Shemite

/ (ˈsiːmaɪt) /

noun

a member of the group of Caucasoid peoples who speak a Semitic language, including the Jews and Arabs as well as the ancient Babylonians, Assyrians, and Phoenicians

another word for a Jew

Word Origin for Semite

C19: from New Latin sēmīta descendant of Shem, via Greek Sēm, from Hebrew Shem

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

Cultural definitions for Semite

Semite

[ (sem-eyet) ]

Someone who belongs to the Semitic peoples. The Semites are supposedly descended from the biblical Shem, the eldest son of Noah.