arabist
|ar-a-bist|
/ˈærəbɪst/
specialist in Arabic
Etymology
'arabist' originates from Modern English, formed by combining 'Arab' (referring to the Arab people or the Arabic language) with the agent-forming suffix '-ist' (meaning 'one who studies or is concerned with').
'Arab' entered English via Latin ('Arabus') and Old French ('Arabe') from Arabic 'ʿarab' (عرب). The English formation 'Arabist' developed later by adding the productive suffix '-ist' to denote a specialist, producing the modern English 'arabist'.
Initially, 'Arab' primarily denoted the Arab people or things relating to Arabia; over time, the derived form 'arabist' came to mean specifically 'a specialist in Arabic language, literature, or culture.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a specialist or scholar of the Arabic language, literature, history, or culture.
She is an Arabist who has studied classical Arabic for many years.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/30 20:22