# Semite

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsiː.maɪt/ · frequency rank #42,886

## Definitions
1. A member of a modern people that speak a Semitic language.
2. A member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia and East Africa such as the Akkadians, Assyrians, Arameans, Phoenicians, Canaanites, Hebrews, Arabs, or Aksumites.
3. A descendant of any of these peoples.
4. A descendant of the biblical Patriarch Shem.
5. A Jew.

## Etymology
From Sem, Shem + -ite, from Late Latin Sēm, from Ancient Greek Σήμ (Sḗm), from Biblical Hebrew שם (šēm). Compare German Semit, New Latin Sēmīta, French sémite.

## Easily confused with
- **site** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-site)
- **smith** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-smith)
- **smile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-smile)
- **suite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-suite)
- **spite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-spite)
- **serie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-serie)
- **shite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-shite)
- **smite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-smite)
- **senate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-senate)
- **sprite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-sprite)
- **senile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-senile)
- **Shiite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-shiite)
- **serine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-serine)
- **Semitic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-semitic)
- **semi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semi-vs-semite)
- **seize** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seize-vs-semite)
- **seine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seine-vs-semite)
- **semis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semis-vs-semite)
- **sedate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sedate-vs-semite)

## Common misspellings (8)
`esmite`, `seimte`, `semiet`, `semitte`, `semmite`, `semtie`, `smeite`, `ssemite`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/semite