English Reference

Word

arab

Phoneticsarab

/ˈæɹəb/

Definitions

01a person

B1

n. a person who belongs to the ethnic group originally from the Arabian Peninsula, or someone whose first language is Arabic.

n. a member of the Semitic ethnic group native to the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding regions, typically defined by the use of the Arabic language.

“The conference brought together Arabs from many different countries to discuss trade.”

“Scholars often debate the precise definition of who qualifies as an Arab, balancing linguistic, cultural, and genealogical factors.”

02related to Arab people

B1

adj. relating to Arab people, their culture, or their countries.

adj. of or pertaining to the Arab people, their culture, or the nations of the Arab world.

“We enjoyed traditional Arab music and food at the festival last night.”

“The Arab world encompasses a diverse range of political systems and economic structures across two continents.”

Pitfall

He is studying the Arab language.

He is studying the Arabic language.

Use 'Arab' for people and culture (Arab nations, Arab food), but use 'Arabic' for the language itself.

Synonyms

03a horse

C1

n. a type of horse that is famous for being fast and strong, originally from the Middle East.

n. an Arabian horse, noted for its intelligence, spirit, and stamina.

“The rider chose a beautiful grey Arab for the long race across the desert.”

“The pedigree of the purebred Arab has been carefully preserved for centuries due to the breed's exceptional endurance.”

Technical

Synonyms

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic عَرَب (ʕarab, “Arabs”) or back-formation from Arabic.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference