Iraqi

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the country located in the Middle East known as Iraq; a person who is a native or inhabitant of that nation; pertaining to the culture, language, or customs of the Iraqi people
2. Connected with the nation situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers called Iraq; an individual originating from Iraq; associated with the traditions, society, or ethnicity of Iraqis
3. Concerning the sovereign state in Western Asia named Iraq; a citizen or resident of this country; linked to the heritage, lifestyle, or identity of people from Iraq

Etymology: The adjective and noun come into English from Arabic "ʕirāqiyy", which simply means "of Iraq" or "Iraqi." It is built from the place name "Iraq" plus the Arabic suffix "-iyy", which turns a place into an adjective describing its people, things, or qualities. English speakers borrowed the form the same way they borrowed many other nationality words that passed through Arabic and related languages. The place name itself is older and its origin is debated. Arabic writers in the early Islamic period used "ʕIrāq" for the lowland region around the lower Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and the name's own history is not settled, so the word is best understood as a plain derivative rather than a story of its own.

Synonyms: Mesopotamian