Semitic
1 synonym for Semitic, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Belonging to a family of related languages of the Middle East and North Africa that includes Arabic, Hebrew, Amharic, Aramaic and ancient Akkadian and Phoenician.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Semite
How to use Semitic
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Semitic languages
Proto-Semitic
West Semitic
Semitic roots
Standard scholarly term; always capitalised. Take care not to use it as a synonym for Jewish.
Etymology
From New Latin Semiticus, from Semita, from the Hebrew name Shem, one of Noah's sons, from whom the peoples so called were traditionally said to descend.
Full origin of Semitic →Frequently asked questions
Does Semitic mean Jewish?
No. Semitic is primarily a linguistic and cultural term covering speakers of Arabic, Hebrew, Amharic, Aramaic and related languages, so it takes in far more than Jewish people. The confusion arises because antisemitism, despite its wider-looking name, means prejudice against Jews specifically and has always been used that way.
What is the difference between Semitic and antisemitic?
Semitic describes a language family and the peoples associated with it. Antisemitic means hostile or prejudiced towards Jews, and it is not the negation of Semitic. The term antisemitism entered European use in the nineteenth century already meaning hatred of Jews.
Which languages are Semitic?
The living ones include Arabic and its many varieties, Hebrew, Amharic, Tigrinya, Tigre, Maltese and several Neo-Aramaic dialects. Extinct members include Akkadian, Phoenician, Ugaritic, Ge'ez and Classical Aramaic.
