Saudi

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Referring to the nation located on the Arabian Peninsula, known for its vast deserts and oil reserves
2. Describing the culture, people, or products originating from Saudi Arabia, a kingdom with significant religious and economic influence
3. Pertaining to the historical and contemporary aspects of a country that is home to Mecca and Medina, vital locations for Islamic pilgrimage

Etymology: The adjective comes from the family name of the royal house that founded the modern kingdom. In Arabic, "suʕūdiyy" is formed from "suʕūd", the name Saud, with the adjectival suffix "-iyy" added, so the word literally means "of the Saud" or "belonging to the Saud family." The dynasty took its name from an ancestor called Saud, and the country's name, Saudi Arabia, applies that family name to the land it rules. The English form is a borrowing from Arabic, which keeps the Arabic suffix that marks something as pertaining to a person or family. The same pattern gives many Arabic nouns and adjectives their "-i" endings, so the English word shows the family name plus a suffix, nothing more elaborate. Because the word names a country by way of a dynasty, its meaning depends on the ruling family's name rather than on any older geographic label. The adjective therefore points to a person's line first and a place second.

Synonyms: Saudi Arabian, Arabian