saudi

saudi — adjective

1. describes a person, thing, or custom that comes from or is connected with the co

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

describes a person, thing, or custom that comes from or is connected with the country of Saudi Arabia, its land, or its people.

Example

Ryo bought a traditional Saudi coffee pot at the market in Riyadh.

Saudi + noun: something from Saudi Arabia

The Saudi flag has a green background and white Arabic writing on it.

Common collocations
  • Saudi government
  • Saudi oil
  • Saudi flag
  • Saudi culture
  • Sudi citizen
  • Saudi desert
Synonyms
  • Saudi Arabian

    the longer, more formal form of the same adjective; used more often in official or written contexts.

Grammar Patterns

Saudi + noun

Usage Note

Always written with a capital S. 'Saudi' is used before a noun (e.g. Saudi government, Saudi oil). The longer form 'Saudi Arabian' is also correct but less common in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

saudi embassy' (lowercase s)
Saudi embassy
nationality and country adjectives are always capitalized in English.
She is a Saudi Arabian' (when used as a noun)
She is a Saudi' or 'She is Saudi
'Saudi' alone is the standard demonym; 'Saudi Arabian' is more common as an adjective.

saudi — noun

Word family

  • Saudi Arabian
    adjectiveA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words relate to the Middle East, but they describe different things. 'Saudi' refers specifically to the country of Saudi Arabia — its government, people, or products ('Saudi oil', 'Saudi passport'). 'Saudi Arabian' is the full adjectival form and is more common in formal writing and official documents ('Saudi Arabian Airlines', 'the Saudi Arabian embassy'), though in daily speech 'Saudi' is far more frequent. 'Arab' is much broader — it refers to the entire Arabic-speaking world across 22 countries, from Morocco to Iraq. Calling something 'Arab' that is specifically from Saudi Arabia is accurate but imprecise, like calling a Canadian 'American.' For example, you would say 'Saudi coffee' (from Saudi Arabia) but 'Arab music' (from anywhere in the Arab world).

Saudi ↗Saudi ArabianArab ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • Saudi Arabia

Prepositions

  • from Saudi Arabia

Etymology

ArabicEnglish

The word 'Saudi' comes from the House of Saud (Āl Saʿūd), the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. The family name 'Saud' means 'fortunate' or 'happy' in Arabic. The country name 'Saudi Arabia' was officially adopted in 1932 when King Abdulaziz Al Saud united the regions of Hejaz and Nejd into a single kingdom. The adjective 'Saudi' began appearing in English shortly after the country's founding, though 'Saudi Arabian' was more common in early usage.