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Definition of sumerian

sumerian

/suːˈmɛr.i.ən/
Su · mer · i · an
Plural:Sumerians
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sumerian Lexical Profile

• adjective

1

Relating to ancient Sumer, its inhabitants, their civilization, or their language.

Example

"The museum recently acquired a collection of Sumerian cylinder seals dating back to the third millennium BCE."

• noun

1

The extinct language isolate spoken in ancient Sumer in southern Mesopotamia, notable as the earliest known written language, recorded in cuneiform script from around 3100 BCE.

Example

"Scholars spent decades deciphering tablets written in Sumerian to understand early urban administration."

2

A native or inhabitant of ancient Sumer in southern Mesopotamia.

Example

"The Sumerians developed complex irrigation networks that supported some of the world's earliest city-states."

• Rhymes for sumerian

• Nearby Words

sumatran pit viper
sumatran rhinoceros
sumatran spitting cobra
sumerian
summarily
summarizable
summarization

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the mid-19th century from Sumer, the Akkadian name for southern Mesopotamia (Šumeru), combined with the suffix -ian; the Sumerians themselves referred to their land as Kengi and their language as Emegir.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sumerian. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sumerian
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