Word Study
aramaic
CIDE DICTIONARY
aramaic, a. [See Aramæan, a.].
Pertaining to Aram, or to the territory, inhabitants, language, or literature of Syria and Mesopotamia; Aramæan; -- specifically applied to the northern branch of the Semitic family of languages, including Syriac and Chaldee. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
aramaic, n. & adj.
--n. a branch of the Semitic family of languages, esp. the language of Syria used as a lingua franca in the Near East from the sixth century BC, later dividing into varieties one of which included Syriac and Mandaean.
--adj. of or in Aramaic.
--n. a branch of the Semitic family of languages, esp. the language of Syria used as a lingua franca in the Near East from the sixth century BC, later dividing into varieties one of which included Syriac and Mandaean.
--adj. of or in Aramaic.
Etymology
L Aramaeus f. Gk Aramaios of Aram (bibl. name of Syria)
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