Bedouin

or Bed·u·in

[ bed-oo-in, bed-win ]

noun

, plural Bed·ou·ins, (especially collectively) Bed·ou·in.

1. an Arab of the desert, in Asia or Africa; nomadic Arab.
2. a nomad; wanderer.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Bedouin.

Bedouin

/ ˈbɛdʊɪn /

noun

1. -ins-in a member of any of the nomadic tribes of Arabs inhabiting the deserts of Arabia, Jordan, and Syria, as well as parts of the Sahara
2. a wanderer or rover

adjective

1. of or relating to the Bedouins
2. wandering or roving

Other Words From

• Bedou·in·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Bedouin¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English Bedoynes (plural), from Old French beduyn (singular), from Arabic badawīn “desert-dwellers,” plural of badawī, equivalent to badw “desert” + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin; in the Western languages, the Arabic plural form -īn was interpreted to be part of the basic form

Word History and Origins

Origin of Bedouin¹

C14: from Old French beduin , from Arabic badāwi , plural of badwi , from badw desert

Example Sentences

The Bedouin people of the Negev do not share that view.

From Salon

A Bedouin Arab hostage rescued from an underground tunnel in Gaza said one of his fellow detainees died next to him during his time in captivity, a former Israeli official said.

From BBC

The Israeli military says it has rescued a Bedouin Arab hostage who was kidnapped by Hamas gunmen during the 7 October attack on Israel and taken back to Gaza.

From BBC

Levi founded Meitarim Farm in 2021 on a hill whose sloping sides give way to lowlands where Bedouin farmers graze sheep.

From Seattle Times

The Bedouin Arabs living near Duma are one of 16 such communities in the West Bank that have relocated because of settler violence or threats since the start of 2023, according to Yesh Din.

From Seattle Times