: a Semitic language originally of the Arabs of the Hejaz and Nejd that is now the prevailing speech of a wide region of southwestern Asia and northern Africa
1
: of, relating to, or constituting the language Arabic
… Arabic neologisms of the nineteenth century …—
Bernard Lewis
Bernard LewisHis bibliography contains no classical Arabic texts and only a handful of dubiously transliterated recent Arabic titles …—Pierre Cachia
Pierre Cachia… edited and reviewed by Arabic scholars in Paris …—Edwin McDowell
Edwin McDowell2
: expressed in or utilizing Arabic numerals
21 is an Arabic number.
Arabic notation
3
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Arabia or the Arabs
As Arabic music permeates various other sounds, so are western sounds finding their way into various Arabic musics.—Hank Bordowitz
Hank BordowitzThe Middle East meets the Wild West in this variation on Arabic hummus.—Steven Raichlen
Steven RaichlenThere still exist some folk instruments in Portugal whose names indicate their Arabic origin.—Alexander Buchner
Alexander BuchnerExamples of Arabic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
Officials said the Uber driver stopped at a red light and began praying in Arabic.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2024
Britney Nguyen, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Chandeliers formed from golden twigs hang from vaulted ceilings embossed with Arabic designs in relief whilst turquoise sofas are set into alcoves surrounded by arches.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for Arabic 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
In Chicago, voters can choose to vote in one of 12 languages on touchscreen machines: English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Korean, Tagalog, Gujarati, Urdu, Arabic, Ukrainian, and Russian.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
Officials said the Uber driver stopped at a red light and began praying in Arabic.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The feature offers ten distinct voice options and supports 12 languages, including Spanish, Arabic, and Hindi, with more planned.
—Britney Nguyen, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Chandeliers formed from golden twigs hang from vaulted ceilings embossed with Arabic designs in relief whilst turquoise sofas are set into alcoves surrounded by arches.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for Arabic
Dictionary Entries Near Arabic
Cite this Entry
“Arabic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arabic. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share