Arabic Meaning
/ˈæɹəbɪk/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounEllipsis of gum arabic.
adjRelated to the Arabic language.
Sentence Examples
I can't read Arabic script.
The Arabic script was replaced by the Roman alphabet.
Arabic must be read from right to left.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She studied ____ for two years to read the Quran in its original language.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He is studying ____ because he wants to travel and work in Dubai.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Arabic عَرَب (ʕarab)bor. Ancient Greek Ἄραψ (Áraps) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) Ancient Greek Ἀραβικός (Arabikós)bor. Latin arabicusbor. English Arabic From Latin arabicus, from Ancient Greek Ἀραβικός (Arabikós), from Ἄραψ (Áraps, “Arab”) [from Arabic عَرَب (ʕarab)] + -ικός (-ikós, adjective suffix). By surface analysis, Arab + -ic.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"One day my UN students asked me, "Which is the Arabic country where the best Arabic is spoken?" I quickly replied, "Bosnia." They exclaimed, "But Bosnia is not an Arab country!""
— 2008, Abdallah Nacereddine, To Be Oneself: The Tragicomedy of an Unfinished Life History, →ISBN, page 342:
"White chalk on the fascia board above the Arabic-food stall reads "Lebanon" and "Lebs rule"."
— 2012, Deborah Youdell, “Intelligibility, agency and the raced–nationed–religioned subjects of education”, in Intersectionality and "Race" in Education, →ISBN, page 202:
"I saw that in my workplace black co-workers had to unite with Arabic and white workers just to be able to win better wages and working conditions and certainly to be able to win a strike."
— 1987 February 22, Dallas Williams, “Black, Gay and Red”, in Gay Community News, volume 14, number 31, page 5:
"‘Kinsman’ and ‘avenger’ meet in the same word in Hebrew and in Arabic; nor did Greek tribal custom keep them separate."
— 1924, Herbert Weir Smyth, “VII. Orestea. II: The Libation-Bearers”, in Aeschylean Tragedy, pages 180-181:
"Classical Arabic – the language of the Qur’an – will make you understood everywhere, but colloquial Arabic may be more useful, because once the locals start conversing with each other, you’ll lose the plot."
— 2021 April 25, John Malathronas, “Which languages are easiest – and most difficult – for native English speakers to learn?”, in CNN, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2022:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She studied ____ for two years to read the Quran in its original language.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He is studying ____ because he wants to travel and work in Dubai.