Arabia
/əˈreɪ.bi.ə/noun
A historical and geographical name for the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding regions.
Did you know?The name ultimately comes from the ethnonym *Arab*, and its exact earliest origin is ancient and debated, but it was already established in Greek and Latin long before English inherited it.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Near East
Semitic
ʿarab
“An ancient ethnonym referring to Arab peoples; the earliest deeper origin is uncertain.”
5th Century BCE
Greek
Arabía
“The land of the Arabs; a geographic designation for the Arabian region.”
1st Century BCE
Latin
Arabia
“Arabia, the country or region associated with the Arabs.”
Old English
English
Arabia
“The region known from classical and biblical sources as Arabia.”
Modern English
English
Arabia
“The Arabian Peninsula and surrounding historical regions.”