a Northwest Semitic language that was the lingua franca throughout the Near East from c. 300 to c. 650: it replaced Hebrew as the language of the Jews, and one of its dialects was spoken by Jesus and his disciples
See Aramaic in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(ărˌə-māˈĭk)
noun
A Semitic language originally of the ancient Arameans but widely used by non-Aramean peoples throughout southwest Asia. Also called Aramean, Chaldean.