What does "arabic" mean?
A variety of the Arabic language.
Arabic
/ˈæɹ.ə.bɪk/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A variety of the Arabic language.
- Grammar: arabic is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: arabic language, arab culture, arab tongue, arab world.
- Useful contrasts: lettered numbering, roman numeral values, Cyrillic script.
- Usage evidence: The Arabic script was replaced by the Roman alphabet.
How to use "arabic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "arabic" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "arabic" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "arabic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "arabic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "arabic" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "arabic language" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "arabic", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A variety of the Arabic language.
"He was speaking an Arabic that they'd never heard before and could barely understand."
- 2 Ellipsis of gum arabic. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, rare
"Gum arabic is known as a lower viscosity gum, with high emulsification properties. […] these alternatives are still not totally as effective as gum arabic and when pricing and availability of arabic comes back in line, many switch back,[…]"
- 3 the Semitic language of the Arabs; spoken in a variety of dialects wordnet
- 4 An Arab. proscribed
"That's the majority of working N'Yawkers. Blacks and Hispanics outnumber the arabics."
- 5 Ellipsis of arabic numeral. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Ellipsis of Arabic numeral. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
"A novel writer will usually spell out Arabics from one to nine, to accord with the tone of the genre."
Adjective
- 1 Related to the Arabic language. not-comparable
"an Arabic translation"
- 2 Only used in arabic acid not-comparable
"There is very little in recent literature concerning the chemistry of gum arabic other than […]. The "arabic acid" is of variable composition."
- 3 Expressed in a script that was developed in Arab lands (but is not always used in the Arabic language): 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. not-comparable
"Arabic numerals"
- 4 Only used in arabic numeral not-comparable
- 5 Of, from, or pertaining to Arab countries or cultural behaviour (see also Arab as an adjective). not-comparable
"White chalk on the fascia board above the Arabic-food stall reads "Lebanon" and "Lebs rule"."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Arab. not-comparable, proscribed
"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."
Adjective
- 1 relating to or characteristic of Arabs wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A major Semitic language originating from the Arabian peninsula, and now spoken natively (in various spoken dialects, all sharing a single highly conservative standardized literary form) throughout large sections of the Middle East and North Africa.
"Egyptian Arabic"
- 2 The Aramaic-derived script used to write the Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Urdu, and Uyghur languages, among others.
"Near-synonym: Arabic alphabet"
Synonyms
All synonyms arabic languagearab culturearab tonguearab worldarabian scriptarabic writing
Antonyms
lettered numberingroman numeral valuesCyrillic scriptLatin script
Example
"The Arabic script was replaced by the Roman alphabet."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "arabic"?
Common synonyms include: arabic language, arab culture, arab tongue, arab world, arabian script, arabic writing.
How do you use "arabic" in a sentence?
The Arabic script was replaced by the Roman alphabet.
How do you pronounce "arabic"?
Pronounced /ˈæɹ.ə.bɪk/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
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.
Etymology 2
See gum arabic.