# Semitic

> English word · Adjective · IPA /səˈmɪt.ɪk/ · frequency rank #13,420

## Definitions
1. Of or pertaining to a subdivision of Afroasiatic Semitic languages: Amharic, Arabic, Aramaic, Syriac, Akkadian, Hebrew, Maltese, Tigrigna, Phoenician etc.
2. Of or pertaining to the Semites; of or pertaining to one or more Semitic peoples.
3. Of or pertaining to the Semites; of or pertaining to one or more Semitic peoples.
4. Of or pertaining to the Semites; of or pertaining to one or more Semitic peoples.
5. Of or pertaining to the Semites; of or pertaining to one or more Semitic peoples.

## Etymology
From Semite + -ic (18th century), from German semitisch, from Ancient Greek Σήμ (Sḗm), from the Hebrew שֵׁם (Šēm, “Shem”), the name of the eldest son of Noah in biblical tradition (Genesis 5.32, 6.10, 10.21), considered the forefather of the Semitic peoples. Perhaps derived from Akkadian 𒈬 (šumu, literally “name" or "son”). The word was coined and first applied to the Semitic languages by August Ludwig von Schlözer in 1781.

## Easily confused with
- **septic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semitic-vs-septic)
- **somatic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semitic-vs-somatic)
- **Semitism** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semitic-vs-semitism)
- **Semite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-semitic)
- **semantic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semantic-vs-semitic)

## Common misspellings (10)
`esmitic`, `seimtic`, `semiitc`, `semitci`, `semiticc`, `semittic`, `semmitic`, `semtiic`, `smeitic`, `ssemitic`

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