Advertisement

Advertisement

Sumerian

[ soo-meer-ee-uhn, -mer- ]

adjective

  1. of or relating to Sumer, its people, or their language.


noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Sumer.
  2. a language of unknown affinities that was the language of the Sumerians and had, in the late 4th and 3rd millenniums b.c., a well-developed literature that is preserved in pictographic and cuneiform writing and represents the world's oldest extant written documents.

Sumerian

/ -ˈmɛər-; suːˈmɪərɪən /

noun

  1. a member of a people who established a civilization in Sumer during the 4th millennium bc
  2. the extinct language of this people, of no known relationship to any other language


adjective

  1. of or relating to ancient Sumer, its inhabitants, or their language or civilization

Discover More

Other Words From

  • pre-Su·meri·an adjective noun

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sumerian1

First recorded in 1870–75; Sumer + -ian

Discover More

Example Sentences

The name Easter may, or may not, be derived from the Sumerian goddess Inanna, or Ishtar—the source of the Hebrew name Esther.

In Sumerian culture, beer is referenced on the earliest recovered tablet.

The name Eve is derived from a Sumerian pun on the word for rib.

Indeed the Indian legend appears to throw light on the original Sumerian conception of Ea.

A distinctive and characteristic Sumerian god was Ea, who was supreme at the ancient sea-deserted port of Eridu.

A Central Asiatic source for Sumerian culture has also been urged of late with much circumstantial detail.

Some light may be thrown on the Sumerian problem by giving consideration to the present-day racial complexion of Western Asia.

In the early stages of Sumerian culture, the gods and goddesses who formed groups were indistinguishable from demons.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


SumerSumerology