Semites

Semites is a word that was used for people who speak a Semitic language like Arabic or Hebrew. Scientists no longer use the words Semites or Semitic peoples, but they still speak of Semitic languages.On the use of the terms “(anti-)Semitic” and “(anti-) Zionist” in modern Middle Eastern discourse, Orientalia Suecana LXI Suppl. (2012) by Lutz Eberhard Edzard : "In linguistics context, the term "Semitic" is generally speaking non-controversial... As an ethnic term, "Semitic" should best be avoided these days, in spite of ongoing genetic research (which also is supported by the Israeli scholarly community itself) that tries to scientifically underpin such a concept." 
Origin
The word Semite was taken from Shem, a son of Noah in the Genesis (chapters 6-11). It was first used in the 1770s by German professors at the University of Göttingen.

Related pages
 Hamitic
 Antisemitism

References

Category:Middle East
Category:Pseudoscience

Category:18th century in Europe