Semite

See also: semite and sémite

English

Alternative forms

• Shemite

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.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsiː.maɪt/, /ˈsɛm.aɪt/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛm.aɪt/
• (pin–pen merger) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪm.aɪt/
• Hyphenation: Se‧mite

Noun

Semite (plural Semites)

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. (sometimes derogatory) A Jew.

Related terms

• Semitic
• Semitism

Translations

member of any of a number of ancient peoples

• Czech: Semita (cs) m
• Finnish: seemiläinen (fi)
• Icelandic: semíti m
• Irish: Seimíteach m
• Polish: Semita (pl) m, Semitka (pl) f
• Portuguese: semita (pt) m or f

descendant of any of these peoples

• Arabic: سَامِيّ (ar) m (sāmiyy), سَامِيَّة (ar) f (sāmiyya)
• Armenian: սեմիտ (semit)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 閃米特人／闪米特人 (Shǎnmǐtè-rén)

• Czech: Semita (cs) m
• Dutch: Semiet (nl)
• Finnish: seemiläinen (fi)
• French: sémite (fr) m or f
• German: Semit (de) m, Semitin f
• Hebrew: שמי m (shémi), שמית f (shémit)
• Icelandic: semíti m
• Irish: Seimíteach m
• Italian: semita (it)
• Japanese: セム (ja) (Semu), セム族の人 (Semu-zoku-no hito)
• Kazakh: семит (semit)
• Polish: Semita (pl) m, Semitka (pl) f
• Portuguese: semita (pt) m or f
• Russian: семи́т (ru) m (semít), семи́тка (ru) f (semítka)
• Spanish: semita (es) m or f
• Ukrainian: семі́т m (semít), семі́тка f (semítka)
• Volapük: (♂♀) semitan (vo), (♂) hisemitan, (♀) jisemitan

Anagrams

• Estime, Timese, mesite