Arabian

1 of 2

noun

Ara·​bi·​an ə-ˈrā-bē-ən How to pronounce Arabian (audio)
1
: a native or inhabitant of Arabia
2

Arabian

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Arabia or the people of Arabia
Arabian music/art
Some people say the unicorn myth began long ago in the Arabian desert …Bet Hennefrund
… bad paintings of Arabian street scenes …Paul Karr et al.
These days the British are better acquainted with Arab customs, Arabian history, and the Arabic language, and with Arabs themselves, whose language we have been borrowing for six centuries.Philip Howard
… an exquisitely beautiful Arabian girl …Maurice Richardson
For authenticity, even the jockeys would be garbed in Arabian-type costumes.Carl Hiaasen
Arabian food includes a lot of spiced lamb and rice …Cleo Murphy
2
: of, relating to, involving, or being Arabian horses
… Thoroughbred, Morgan, and Arabian stallions …Alexander Fuller
Although dressage shows have been recognized by the American Horse Shows Association for only twenty years, they number just after hunter/jumper and Arabian competitions as the United States' third largest showing group.Wendy Insinger

Examples of Arabian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Al Ain, chasing its first AFC Champions League title in 21 years, will next face another Saudi Arabian team – either Al-Hilal or Al-Ittihad – in the semifinals. George Ramsay, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 The war eventually was stopped by the compassion of an Arabian girl who saved lives and brought reputation and glory to her family. Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2024 Tuesday will see Japanese and Saudi Arabian companies talking up their plans within the ACBS Annual Conference, which also forms part of this week’s Entertainment Expo. Patrick Frater, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024 During the ongoing war in Gaza, Houthi forces have attacked merchant and military vessels in the Gulf of Aden, the Red and Arabian seas, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — an important area for international trade and maritime traffic. Dan Lamothe, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Inspired by traditional Arabian sailing dhows, the boat is docked on the Bou Regreg River, with views out to the ocean, up to the Kasbah, and across to Salé. Nicola Chilton, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Feb. 2024 The tradition also finds its origins in various communal practices, including those of the Bedouin, the nomadic peoples of the Arabian deserts. Zahra Hankir, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 Her 10-year-old Arabian horse, Ty, and the young donkey instantly bonded when Tiptoe arrived in 2022. Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 It’s been a week since Ronaldo’s calf injury caused his Saudi Arabian squad, Al Nassr, to cancel two preseason friendlies in China. Safid Deen, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Arabian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Arabian was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Arabian

Cite this Entry

“Arabian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arabian. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Arabian

adjective
Ara·​bi·​an
ə-ˈrā-bē-ən
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Arabia or its people
Arabian noun
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