Dictionary

Semite en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈsɛm.aɪt/ (US)
• /ˈsɛm.aɪt/ (UK)
• /ˈsiː.maɪt/ (UK)
• /ˈsɪm.aɪt/ (pin-pen-merger)

Etymology

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.

Meanings

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.

Forms

Deriveds

Semitize · prosemite · Semitist · anti-Semite · Semitology · Semitization · allosemitism

Relateds

Semitism · Semitic

Translations (38)

is semíti (member of any of a number of ancient peoples) · pl Semita (descendant of any of these peoples) · fi seemiläinen (descendant of any of these peoples) · ar سَامِيَّة (descendant of any of these peoples) · vo jisemitan (descendant of any of these peoples) · is semíti (descendant of any of these peoples) · ar سَامِيّ (descendant of any of these peoples) · fr sémite (descendant of any of these peoples) · pt semita (descendant of any of these peoples) · cs Semita (member of any of a number of ancient peoples) · cmn 閃米特人 /闪米特人 (descendant of any of these peoples) · vo hisemitan (descendant of any of these peoples) · ru семи́тка (descendant of any of these peoples) · ja セム (descendant of any of these peoples) · pl Semitka (descendant of any of these peoples) · pl Semita (member of any of a number of ancient peoples) · eo semido (descendant of any of these peoples) · hy սեմիտ (descendant of any of these peoples) · he שמית (descendant of any of these peoples) · fi seemiläinen (member of any of a number of ancient peoples) · ja セム族の人 (descendant of any of these peoples) · uk семі́тка (descendant of any of these peoples) · de Semitin (descendant of any of these peoples) · nl Semiet (descendant of any of these peoples) · kk семит (descendant of any of these peoples) · es semita (descendant of any of these peoples) · uk семі́т (descendant of any of these peoples) · vo semitan (descendant of any of these peoples) · ga Seimíteach (member of any of a number of ancient peoples) · ru семи́т (descendant of any of these peoples) · de Semit (descendant of any of these peoples) · pl Semitka (member of any of a number of ancient peoples) · cs Semita (descendant of any of these peoples) · he שמי (descendant of any of these peoples) · eo semido (member of any of a number of ancient peoples) · pt semita (member of any of a number of ancient peoples) · ga Seimíteach (descendant of any of these peoples) · it semita (descendant of any of these peoples)