Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Of or relating to the Hittite people, their language, or their culture: This describes anything connected to the ancient Anatolian civilization known as the Hittites.

2. Noun:

   • A member of an ancient people who inhabited Anatolia and northern Syria about 2000 to 1200 BC: This refers to an individual belonging to this historical civilization.
   • The language of the Hittites and the principal language of the Anatolian group of languages; deciphered from cuneiform inscriptions: This is the extinct Indo-European language spoken by this people, recorded on clay tablets.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The museum has a remarkable collection of Hittite artifacts.
  • Scholars study Hittite law codes to understand their society.

• Noun (Person):

  • A Hittite might have lived in the capital city of Hattusa.
  • The Egyptians and the Hittites fought the Battle of Kadesh.

• Noun (Language):

  • Hittite is one of the oldest recorded Indo-European languages.
  • The grammar of Hittite shows interesting features.

Advanced Usage

• "Hittite Empire": Refers to the historical kingdom and political entity.

  • The Hittite Empire was a major rival to ancient Egypt.

• "Hittite cuneiform": Refers to the specific writing system adapted from Mesopotamian cuneiform used to write the Hittite language.

  • Deciphering Hittite cuneiform was a major breakthrough in linguistics.

Variants and Related Words

• Hittitology (n): The academic study of the Hittite language, history, and culture.
  • He is a professor specializing in Hittitology.

Synonyms

• Anatolian (adj/n): Pertaining to the region or, more specifically, the branch of Indo-European languages that includes Hittite. (Note: This is a broader term.)
  • Hittite is the best-known Anatolian language.

Adjective

1. of or relating to the Hittite people or their language or culture

Noun

1. the language of the Hittites and the principal language of the Anatolian group of languages; deciphered from cuneiform inscriptions
2. a member of an ancient people who inhabited Anatolia and northern Syria about 2000 to 1200 BC