Arabic

PluralArabics

1. 1
   language (whole)proper noun

   A major Semitic language originating in the Arabian Peninsula, now spoken natively across much of the Middle East and North Africa in many dialects that share one highly conservative literary standard.

   The novel, translated from the Arabic by a professor in Beirut, won a prize for its English edition.

   Many students study Arabic to work in journalism or diplomacy.

   Note

   Usually narrowed by a word in front of it: Egyptian Arabic and Eastern Arabic name regional varieties, Classical Arabic the language of the Qur'an, colloquial Arabic everyday speech. John Malathronas, writing in 2021, notes that the classical form makes you understood everywhere but loses you once locals talk among themselves. For the original text behind a translation, English adds the article: translated from the Arabic. Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

   • Classical Arabic is the language of the Qur'an. en.wikipedia.org
   • John Malathronas made the attributed observation in 2021; Wiktionary dates the CNN article to 25 April 2021 and reproduces the passage. en.wiktionary.org
2. 2
   adjective

   Relating to the Arabic language, its vocabulary, or its grammar.

   The dictionary maps Arabic roots onto their many derived forms.

   Linguists study how Arabic verb patterns change meaning.

   Note

   Built from the word for the people: Latin arabicus, from Greek Arabikos, from Araps, "Arab," itself from Arabic ʕarab. In English terms it is simply Arab plus -ic. It pairs with things linguistic, as in an Arabic translation or Arabic inflection. For people, Arab is the word. The line is easily blurred, as when students ask which "Arabic country" speaks the best Arabic. Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

   • Arabic derives from Latin Arabicus, through Greek Arabikos and Araps, ultimately from Arabic ʕarab. en.wiktionary.org
   • Arabic can be analysed in English as Arab plus -ic. en.wiktionary.org
3. 3
   adjective

   Belonging to or characteristic of Arab countries and their culture.

   The festival celebrated Arabic music and dance from across the region.

   He grew up surrounded by Arabic hospitality and storytelling.

   SimilarArab, Arabian

4. 4
   proper noun

   The Aramaic-derived script used to write Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Urdu, Uyghur, and other languages.

   Until 1928, Turkish was written in Arabic rather than in the Latin alphabet.

   Although the two languages sound much alike when spoken, Urdu is written in Arabic while Hindi uses Devanagari.

   Note

   The writing system carries the language's name, though it serves many tongues beyond Arabic. When context could mean either, Arabic script or Arabic alphabet removes the doubt. A Persian or Urdu text is written in Arabic script without being written in Arabic, a distinction the bare name can blur. Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

   • The Arabic writing system shares its name with the Arabic language and serves other languages. en.wikipedia.org
   • Persian and Urdu can be written in Arabic script while remaining distinct languages from Arabic. unicode.org
5. 5
   the digitsadjective

   Denoting the familiar digits 0 through 9, whose shapes developed in North Africa from an Indian number system and are now used worldwide.

   Scientific papers express measurements in Arabic numerals for clarity.

   The manuscript switched from Roman to Arabic numerals in its later chapters.

   Note

   A name that tells how the digits reached Europe, not who writes with them: the figures 0 to 9 took their shape in North Africa, from a system invented in India, yet Arabic writing does not always use them. In practice the adjective appears almost only in the phrase Arabic numerals. Its natural foil is Roman numerals, as when a book moves from i, ii, iii to 1, 2, 3. Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 5 facts

   • The name reflects their adoption in Europe from Arabic sources. en.wiktionary.org
   • The Western Arabic digit forms developed in North Africa. en.wikipedia.org
   • The underlying number system was invented in India. en.wikipedia.org
   • Arabic writing also uses numeral forms other than Western digits 0–9. en.wikipedia.org
   • Books can move from lowercase Roman page numbers to Arabic page numbers. en.wikipedia.org
6. 6
   local varietynouncountable

   A particular regional or spoken variety of the Arabic language, distinct from the shared literary standard.

   Each country tends to favor its own Arabic in daily speech.

   The survey recorded dozens of distinct Arabics spoken in the region.

   Similardialect

   Note

   Here the language becomes countable. It takes an article, as in an Arabic they had never heard, and a plural, Arabics. That grammar treats each spoken variety as a language in its own right. By contrast, the language as a whole takes no plural and drops the article, except in the set phrase translated from the Arabic.

7. 7
   of the peopleadjectivenonstandard

   Of or relating to Arabs and their shared identity as a people.

   He takes great pride in his Arabic ancestry.

   Many Arabic communities settled along the trade routes centuries ago.

   SimilarArab

   Note

   Applied to people, Arabic is widely judged an error, and the accepted adjective is Arab. Arab workers, Arab ancestry and Arab communities sound right. Arabic is kept for the language, the script and cultural goods such as Arabic food. The usage does turn up: Dallas Williams, in Gay Community News in 1987, writes of "Arabic and white workers." Careful writers avoid it. Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

   • Dallas Williams used the wording "Arabic and white workers" in Gay Community News in 1987; Wiktionary identifies the article as "Black, Gay and Red", dated February 22, 1987. en.wiktionary.org

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