saracen

2 definitions found

saracen - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Saracen \Sar"a*cen\, n. [L. Saracenus perhaps fr. Ar. sharqi,
     pl. sharqi[imac]n, Oriental, Eastern, fr. sharaqa to rise,
     said of the sun: cf. F. sarrasin. Cf. Sarcenet, Sarrasin,
     Sirocco.]
     Anciently, an Arab; later, a Mussulman; in the Middle Ages,
     the common term among Christians in Europe for a Mohammedan
     hostile to the crusaders.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Saracens' consound (Bot.), a kind of ragwort (Senecio  Saracenicus
        ), anciently used to heal wounds.
        [1913 Webster] Saracenic

saracen - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Saracen
      n 1: (historically) a member of the nomadic people of the Syrian
           and Arabian deserts at the time of the Roman Empire
      2: (when used broadly) any Arab
      3: (historically) a Muslim who opposed the Crusades