Samaritan

From Latin Samarītānus, from Ancient Greek Σαμαρείτης (Samareítēs), from Σαμαρεία (Samareía, “Samaria”), derived from Biblical Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹנִים (Šōmərôním) and שֹׁמְרוֹן (Šōmərôn) respectively. Attested in Old English.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /səˈmæɹɪtən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /səˈmɛɹɪtən/

• Audio (General American):

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• Hyphenation: Sa‧mar‧i‧tan

Samaritan (plural Samaritans)

1. A native, or inhabitant of Samaria; especially one practising certain ethnoreligious traditions indigenous to that region.
   • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 62:

     Many of these despised people built a rival temple on Mount Gerizim in the central Palestinian territory known as Samaria, and hence they were called Samaritans (a word of contempt to Jews); in very reduced numbers, they still live round their sacred mountain now.

2. A charitable person, one who helps others (from the Bible story in Luke 10:30–37).
3. (UK) A person who works for the Samaritans telephone helpline, taking calls from suicidal members of the public.

• (religionists) religionist; agnostic,‎ Asatruar,‎ atheist,‎ Baháʼí,‎ Buddhist,‎ Christian,‎ deist,‎ Druid,‎ Druze,‎ Eckist,‎ heathen,‎ Hindu,‎ Jain,‎ Jedi,‎ Jew,‎ Mormon,‎ Mormonist,‎ Muslim,‎ Odinist,‎ pagan,‎ Pastafarian,‎ Quaker,‎ Raëlian,‎ Rastafarian,‎ Rodnover,‎ Samaritan,‎ Shintoist,‎ Sikh,‎ Taoist,‎ Unitarian Universalist,‎ Wiccan,‎ Yahwist,‎ Yazidi,‎ Zoroastrian ^{(Category: en:Religion) [edit]}

• Good Samaritan

Samaritan (not comparable)

1. Of, or relating to Samaria or Samaritans.

Samaritan

1. The ancient language of Samaria: a dialect of Hebrew.

• Sarmatian