Arabia
|a-ra-bi-a|
/əˈreɪ.bi.ə/
land of the Arabs (Arabian Peninsula)
Etymology
'Arabia' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'Arabia', which was taken from Greek 'Ἀραβία' (Arabía); both reflect an older Semitic root 'ʿ-r-b' referring to the Arabs or the desert/nomadic peoples.
'Arabia' appeared in Greek as 'Ἀραβία' and in Latin as 'Arabia', and the Latin/Greek form passed into Middle English and then modern English as 'Arabia'.
Initially the root referred broadly to 'the Arabs' or desert/nomadic lands; over time it came to refer specifically to the geographic region now identified as the Arabian Peninsula (and to related historical/political units).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the geographic region consisting mainly of the Arabian Peninsula (modern-day Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and parts of Jordan and Iraq).
Arabia contains some of the world's largest oil reserves.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a historical Roman/Byzantine province or administrative region called 'Arabia' (e.g., Arabia Petraea).
During the 2nd century, Rome organized parts of the region as the province of Arabia.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/12/31 09:20