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Aryan

Syllabification: (Ar·y·an)

Definition of Aryan

adjective

  • relating to or denoting a people speaking an Indo-European language who invaded northern India in the 2nd millennium bc, displacing the Dravidian and other aboriginal peoples.
  • dated term for Proto-Indo-European or for Indo-Iranian.
  • (in Nazi ideology) relating to people of Caucasian race not of Jewish descent.

The idea that there was an “Aryan” race corresponding to the parent Indo-European language was proposed by certain 19th century writers and was taken up by Hitler and other proponents of racist ideology, but it has been generally rejected by scholars

noun

  • a member of the ancient Aryan people.
  • the language of the Aryan people.
  • (in Nazi ideology) a person of Caucasian race not of Jewish descent.

Origin:

from Sanskrit ārya 'noble' + -an

Aryan in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of Aryan in the British & World English dictionary