Semite

[sem-ahyt, see-mahyt]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

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.

Semite

/ ˈ��ː��ɪ�� /

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

Semite

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

Discover More

Discover More

Origin of Semite¹

First recorded in 1870–75; from New Latin ��ŧ��ī�ٲ�, from Late Latin ��ŧ�� (from Greek ��ḗm, from Hebrew ��ŧ�� Shem ) + -ī�ٲ� -ite ¹

Discover More

Origin of Semite¹

C19: from New Latin ��ŧ��ī�ٲ� descendant of Shem, via Greek ��ŧ��, from Hebrew _Shem

Discover More

Examples have not been reviewed.

“Clearly, one of the greatest Anti Semites of our time!”

From

"As for the Eastern Jews, they are Semites," he added, referring to Sephardic Jews from the wider Middle East.

From

“All peoples of the Mediterranean were Semites,” he said.

From

Denying that he was an anti-Semite, Fischer pointed out with a smirk that Arabs were Semites, too: “And I am definitely not anti-Arab, okay?”

From

The Aristotelian system was Greek, but the Judeo-Christian story of creation was Semitic—and Semites didn’t have such a fear of the void.

From

Browse