Semite

Meaning

1. A member of a modern people that speak a Semitic language.
2. A member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia and East Africa such as the Akkadians, Assyrians, Arameans, Phoenicians, Canaanites, Hebrews, Arabs, or Aksumites.
3. A descendant of any of these peoples.
4. A descendant of the biblical Patriarch Shem.
5. (derogatory, sometimes) A Jew.

Synonyms

Semitic

Jew

phoenician

Shemite

Translations

semita

semita

Sémite

Semiet

sémite

Semit

سامي

Σημίτης

semita

Phoeniciër

fenicio

سَامِيّ

سَامِيَّة

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsiː.maɪt/

Etymology

Cognate with German: Semit

Cognate with French: sémite

In summary

From Sem, Shem + -ite, from Late Latin Sēm, from Ancient Greek Σήμ (Sḗm), from Biblical Hebrew שם (šēm). Compare German Semit, New Latin Sēmīta, French sémite.