Arabist

American  

[ar-uh-bist] / ˈær ə bɪst /

noun

1. a person who specializes in or studies the Arabic language or Arab culture.

2. a supporter of Arab interests, especially in international affairs.

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Arabist British  

/ ˈærəbɪst /

noun

1. a student or expert in Arabic culture, language, history, etc

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Etymology

Origin of Arabist

First recorded in 1745–55; Arab + -ist

Example Sentences

Elisabeth Kendall, an Arabist and Yemen specialist at the University of Cambridge, put it this way in a recent CNN interview:

From Slate • Jan. 19, 2024

The godfather of Russia’s military intervention in Syria is Yevgeny Primakov, a former prime minister and intelligence chief and for decades his nation’s leading Arabist.

From Washington Post • Oct. 20, 2015

He is an Arabist, was station chief in Saudi Arabia in the 90s and Chief of Staff to Director George Tenet in the years after 9/11.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2013

The only Arabist with real knowledge of the country was a holdover from the previous administration.

From Newsweek • Sep. 25, 2012

The Finnish Arabist Wallin, who died Professor of Arabic at Helsingfors, speaks of a "Faráshat al- Shayh" = a carpet of wormwood.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 14 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir