Aryan
1 synonym for Aryan, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — In linguistics, a now largely retired term for the Indo-Iranian branch of languages, or more loosely the wider Indo-European language family.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Indo-European
Etymology
From Sanskrit ā́rya ("noble"). Borrowed into English in the 1800s as a linguistic term, then hijacked in the 19th–20th centuries by race theorists — most infamously the Nazis — to invent a supposed racial hierarchy that has no basis in the word's actual history.
Full origin of Aryan →Frequently asked questions
What does “Aryan” mean?
The word “Aryan” means in linguistics, a now largely retired term for the Indo-Iranian branch of languages, or more loosely the wider Indo-European language family. In plain terms, a word with two very different lives: a legitimate old linguistics term for Indo-Iranian/Indo-European languages, and a term twisted into Nazi race pseudoscience.
How do you pronounce “Aryan”?
“Aryan” is pronounced EH-uh-ree-uhn (/ˈɛəɹi.ən/ in IPA).
How do you use “Aryan” in a sentence?
Here is “Aryan” used in a sentence: “Older textbooks used "Aryan" to describe the language family that includes Sanskrit and Persian.”
What part of speech is “Aryan”?
“Aryan” is a noun.
Where does the word “Aryan” come from?
The word “Aryan” dates back to around 1800 and comes from Sanskrit.
Is “Aryan” a common word?
“Aryan” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Aryan” have?
“Aryan” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in linguistics, a now largely retired term for the Indo-Iranian branch of languages, or more loosely the wider Indo-European language family.
