Araby
|A-ra-by|
/ˈærəbi/
the land of the Arabs
Etymology
'Araby' ultimately comes from Latin 'Arabia', from Greek 'Arabia', which referred to the region of the Arabs.
'Araby' appears in Middle English forms (e.g. 'Arabie' or 'Araby') derived from Old French 'Arabie', which in turn came from Latin 'Arabia' and Greek 'Arabia'.
Originally denoted the geographical region known to classical writers; in English it has remained largely a name for that region but is now rare and mainly literary or historical.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an archaic or literary name for Arabia (the Arabian Peninsula) or the lands of the Arabs.
Old maps sometimes label the region simply as Araby.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the title of a short story by James Joyce, published in his collection Dubliners (1914).
I taught my students Joyce's 'Araby' this semester.
Last updated: 2025/12/31 09:28