Arab

1 of 2

noun

Ar·​ab ˈa-rəb 

ˈer-əb;

 dialectal also  ˈā-ˌrab

1

a

: a member of an Arabic-speaking people

b

: a member of the Semitic people of the Arabian Peninsula

2

: arabian horse

Arab adjective

Arab

2 of 2

abbreviation

Arabian; Arabic

Examples of Arab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

David Clapp | Stone | Getty Images New Zealand's prime minister told CNBC the country has to look beyond its own backyard for trade opportunities, as the South Pacific island nation signs an economic partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). —Holly Ellyatt,dan Murphy, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025

Biden’s recent dealings with the United Arab Emirates struck a similar chord. —Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025

Catch up-quick: Axios reported in October that Blinken was working on a post-war plan for Gaza based on ideas developed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates and wanted to present it after the presidential election. —Barak Ravid, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025

The space will be home to both permanent and special exhibition galleries, along with a conservation laboratory; a center for contemporary Arab, Islamic and Middle Eastern culture; and even a children’s education facility. —Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin Arabus, Arabs, from Greek Arab-, Araps, of Semitic origin; akin to Akkadian Arabu, Aribi desert nomads, Arabic A'rāb Bedouins

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing Arab

• anti-Arab
• Arab Spring

Kids Definition

Arab

noun

Ar·​ab

ˈar-əb

1

a

: a member of the Semitic people of the Arabian Peninsula

b

: a member of an Arabic-speaking people

2

: arabian horse

Arab adjective