How to say "Saudi Arabia" in Arabic
Shifted meaningMeaningSaudi Arabia
Arabic · Modern Standard Arabic
السُّعُودِيَّة
as-suʿūdiyyaא-סעודיה
السعودية
Hebrew · Modern Hebrew
ערב הסעודית
arav hasa'uditأَرَاڤ هَاسَاؤُودِيت
How the two words are related
Shifted meaning
Same root as a Hebrew word, but the meaning drifted over the centuries.
Arabic root
س-ع-دHebrew root
ס-ע-דRoot س-ع-د is compared by Semitic dictionaries to Hebrew ס-ע-ד 'to support, sustain' (hence סעודה, a sustaining meal) — but the sense drifted: Arabic saʿd came to mean 'good fortune, happiness'. The ruling family's name, Āl Suʿūd 'the fortunate ones', gives the kingdom its name.
Related Hebrew word:סעדsa'adسَاءَد
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In a phrase
السُّعُودِيَّة بَلَد كَبِير
as-suʿūdiyya balad kabīrא-סעודיה בלד כבירSaudi Arabia is a big country