Japhetic

Alternative forms

• Iapetic, Japhethic

Origin

The English Japheth or the Latin Iapetus, + -ic

Coined in the first half of the 19th century alongside Semitic and Hamitic.

Full definition of Japhetic

Adjective

1. (obsolete, ethnography) Of or pertaining to the supposed descendants of Japheth, one of the three sons of Noah in the Bible.
2. (obsolete) Of or pertaining to the supposed languages spoken by the descendants of Japheth, son of Noah in the Bible.

Synonyms

• Japhetite
• Japhethitic