Arabian

How to spell arabian

7 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce arabian

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does arabian mean?

1. adjectiveRelating to Arabia, its people, or its culture.
2. nounA horse of a breed originally from Arabia, prized for endurance and a refined head.

Arabian in a sentence

• adjective

  The museum displayed ancient arabian pottery and textiles.

• noun

  She bought a grey arabian and trained it for endurance riding.

• adjective

  The chef prepared a traditional arabian rice dish for the festival.

• noun

  The stable specialises in breeding the pure arabian for show competitions.

Where does arabian come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word traces back through Latin Arabia to the Greek Araps, the name the ancient Greeks gave to the Arab people and the peninsula they inhabited. The ultimate source is the native term that survives in Arabic as 'arab, originally describing the desert-dwelling nomads of the region. Latin and then English added the familiar suffix -ian, meaning 'belonging to' or 'characteristic of', to form an adjective for anything connected with Arabia. English has used it since at least the 1500s, and the same root sits inside the everyday words 'Arab' and 'Arabic'. The spelling stays close to its roots with a single r and a single b, which is exactly where careful writers can slip and accidentally double a letter.

How the word is built

• Arab (from Arabic 'arab, the Arab people)
• -ian (adjective/noun suffix meaning 'belonging to')