Saracen

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈseɹʌˌsÉ™n/
• IPA: /ˈsæɹəˌsÉ™n/

Origin

From Late Latin Saracenus, from Ancient Greek Σαρακηνός, which may be from Arabic شرقيين (sharqiyyin, "easterners"), though the Oxford English Dictionary disputes this.

Full definition of Saracen

Noun

1. member of a nomadic people from the Sinai near the Roman province of Arabia in the early centuries CE, who were specifically distinguished from Arabs
2. (dated) A Muslim, especially one involved in the Crusades.
3. (dated) A pirate in the Mediterranean.
4. A type of six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier.

Related terms

• sarsen, sarsen stone
• Saracenic