Semite

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.

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.

Synonyms

Semitic

Jew

phoenician

Shemite

Translations

semita

semita

Sémite

Semiet

sémite

Semit

سامي

Σημίτης

Semita

semita

Phoeniciër

semicki

fenicio

سَامِيّ

سَامِيَّة