noun Uncommon

Aryan

EH-uh-ree-uhn

Aryan (noun) means In linguistics, a now largely retired term for the Indo-Iranian branch of languages, or more loosely the wider Indo-European language family. Example: “Older textbooks used "Aryan" to describe the language family that includes Sanskrit and Persian.”

noun

In linguistics, a now largely retired term for the Indo-Iranian branch of languages, or more loosely the wider Indo-European language family.

"Older textbooks used "Aryan" to describe the language family that includes Sanskrit and Persian."

A discredited 19th- and 20th-century racial category once used to claim a "Nordic" or "Caucasian" master race; the term is strongly associated with Nazi ideology.

"Nazi propaganda falsely presented "Aryan" as a race superior to all others."

How to use Aryan

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA 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.

Common mistake

Modern linguists avoid "Aryan" in favor of "Indo-Iranian" or "Indo-European" precisely because of its toxic racial baggage.

When to use it

Highly sensitive; in everyday use it is now almost always linked to racist ideology rather than linguistics.

Word forms

more Aryan comparative, Aryans plural, most Aryan superlative

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Older textbooks used "_____" to describe the language family that includes Sanskrit and Persian.

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.

Origin: Sanskrit · First attested 1800

Class of 1800 Aryan joined the language around 1800.

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Synonyms

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Indo-European

Rhymes for Aryan

yan Ryan Mayan Bryan Libyan Kenyan banyan Bunyan Vyvyan Kalyan Narayan Saroyan

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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.

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Vocabulary lists that include Aryan:

Words with Sanskrit origins