: a Semitic language originally of the Arabs of the Hejaz and Nejd that is now the prevailing speech of a wide region of southwestern Asia and northern Africa
1
: of, relating to, or constituting the language Arabic
… Arabic neologisms of the nineteenth century …—
Bernard Lewis
Bernard LewisHis bibliography contains no classical Arabic texts and only a handful of dubiously transliterated recent Arabic titles …—Pierre Cachia
Pierre Cachia… edited and reviewed by Arabic scholars in Paris …—Edwin McDowell
Edwin McDowell2
: expressed in or utilizing Arabic numerals
21 is an Arabic number.
Arabic notation
3
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Arabia or the Arabs
As Arabic music permeates various other sounds, so are western sounds finding their way into various Arabic musics.—Hank Bordowitz
Hank BordowitzThe Middle East meets the Wild West in this variation on Arabic hummus.—Steven Raichlen
Steven RaichlenThere still exist some folk instruments in Portugal whose names indicate their Arabic origin.—Alexander Buchner
Alexander BuchnerExamples of Arabic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Concise and well-lit explanation placards are offered for each piece or collection of objects in Arabic, English, and Braille.
—Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 25 Apr. 2025
Willem Marx, NPR, 26 Apr. 2025
People push shopping carts, carry reusable bags, and have scattered conversations mostly in Spanish – but also in French, Arabic, and English.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Arabic
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Prayers were recited in various languages including Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese and Arabic, a reflection of the church's global reach.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Concise and well-lit explanation placards are offered for each piece or collection of objects in Arabic, English, and Braille.
—Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
An Italian cardinal, Giovanni Battista Re, presided over the funeral mass, predominantly speaking in Latin, but with prayers also conducted in Polish, Chinese, Arabic and Portuguese.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 26 Apr. 2025
People push shopping carts, carry reusable bags, and have scattered conversations mostly in Spanish – but also in French, Arabic, and English.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Arabic
Cite this Entry
“Arabic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arabic. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share