Aryan
|Ar-y-an|
🇺🇸
/ˈɛəriən/
🇬🇧
/ˈɛːrɪən/
noble, ancient Indo-European people
Etymology
'Aryan' originates from Sanskrit, specifically the word 'ārya', where 'ārya' meant 'noble' or 'honorable'.
'ārya' in Sanskrit was adopted into European languages in the 19th century as 'Aryan', and eventually became the modern English word 'Aryan'.
Initially, it meant 'noble' or 'honorable person', but over time it evolved into its current meanings, including both the original ethnic-linguistic sense and the misused racial sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of a group of people who spoke an Indo-European language, especially those who migrated into northern India around 1500 BCE.
The Aryans migrated into the Indian subcontinent thousands of years ago.
Synonyms
Noun 2
(Historical, often capitalized) A term misused in the 19th and 20th centuries to refer to people of Northern European descent, especially by Nazi ideology.
The Nazis promoted the idea of a pure Aryan race.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to the Aryans or their languages.
Sanskrit is considered an Aryan language.
Synonyms
Adjective 2
(Historical, often capitalized) Used to describe characteristics or things associated with the so-called Aryan race, especially in racist or supremacist contexts.
Aryan features were idealized in Nazi propaganda.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/06 16:23