Semitic

[ suh-mit-ik ]
/ səˈmɪt ɪk /

noun

a subfamily of Afroasiatic languages that includes Akkadian, Arabic, Aramaic, Ethiopic, Hebrew, and Phoenician.

adjective

of or relating to the Semites or their languages, especially of or pertaining to the Jews.

Origin of Semitic

< New Latin sēmīticus, equivalent to sēmīt(a) Semite + -icus -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM Semitic

half-Se·mit·ic, adjective non-Se·mit·ic, adjective pre-Se·mit·ic, adjective, noun pseu·do-Se·mit·ic, adjective

Words related to semitic

Hasidic, Hebrew, Judaistic

Example sentences from the Web for semitic

British Dictionary definitions for semitic

Semitic

less commonly Shemitic

/ (sɪˈmɪtɪk) /

noun

a branch or subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages that includes Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic, Amharic, and such ancient languages as Akkadian and Phoenician

adjective

denoting, relating to, or belonging to this group of languages
denoting, belonging to, or characteristic of any of the peoples speaking a Semitic language, esp the Jews or the Arabs
another word for Jewish

Cultural definitions for semitic

Semitic
[ (suh-mit-ik) ]

A descriptive term for several peoples of the Middle East and their descendants, including Jews (see also Jews) and Arabs (see Arab-Israeli conflict). Today the term is mainly applied to Jews. (See anti-Semitism.)