semitic language

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Semitic \Sem*it"ic\, a.
   Of or pertaining to Shem or his descendants; belonging to
   that division of the Caucasian race which includes the Arabs,
   Jews, and related races. [Written also {Shemitic}.]
   [1913 Webster]

   {Semitic language}, a name used to designate a group of
      Asiatic and African languages, some living and some dead,
      namely: Hebrew and Ph[oe]nician, Aramaic, Assyrian,
      Arabic, Ethiopic (Geez and Ampharic). --Encyc. Brit.
      [1913 Webster]