Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Afrasian

Afrasian

9.9
A group of related languages spoken in Africa and Asia, such as Arabic and Hebrew
  • noun
  • /əˈfreɪʒən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : afrasio
  • The Afrasian language group includes languages such as Arabic, Hebrew, and Amharic.

Examples

  • Linguists have traced several Semitic languages back to the Afrasian family.

  • Debates about migration patterns in prehistory often involve speakers of Afrasian languages.

  • The Afrasian language family includes many dialects.

  • Many scholars study the Afrasian languages for their historical significance.

  • Linguists have traced several Semitic languages back to the Afrasian family.

  • The Afrasian language group includes languages such as Arabic, Hebrew, and Amharic.

  • Debates about migration patterns in prehistory often involve speakers of Afrasian languages.

Synonyms

Afro-Asiatic
vsAfrasian
  • Specialized
8.2

A group of related languages spoken in parts of Africa and Asia, like Arabic and Berber

is the alternative name written as one word rather than hyphenated
Hamito-Semitic
vsAfrasian
  • Archaic
9.9

A group of related languages spoken in North Africa and southwest Asia, like Arabic and Hebrew

is the modern preferred name rather than the former classification

Compounds

Afrasian language
  • Specialized
9.1

A language from a large family spoken in North Africa and parts of Western Asia

Surface Forms

Afrasian singular
Afrasian languages plural

Morphology

Afrasian = Africa + Asian (transparent) = Africa + Asian

Formed by combining the names of the two continents (Africa + Asian), so the meaning 'relating to Africa and Asia' is directly inferable.

Etymology

Afrasian comes from the parts Afro- and Asian, which point to 'Africa' and 'Asia'. So Afrasian names a family of related languages spoken in both continents, which is why it is used for languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Amharic.