Asian

1 of 2

adjective

ˈā-zhən How to pronounce Asian (audio)
 also  -shən
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the continent of Asia or its people
Asian vs. Asiatic: Usage Guide

Asian is now solidly preferred to Asiatic; the latter persists mainly in the names of some kinds of flora and fauna.

an Asiatic lily
the Asiatic elephant

Asiatic still has some use as a geographical designator

the Asiatic side of the Bosporus

but has increasingly been considered offensive, especially as associated with the policies of colonialism.

Asian

2 of 2

noun

1
: a native or inhabitant of Asia
2
: a person of Asian descent

Examples of Asian in a Sentence

Noun There are many Asians living in South America.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Joe Biden had just been elected president, with no small amount of help from Black women, and Kamala Harris had just vacated her Senate seat to become the nation’s first Black and South Asian vice president. Erika D. Smith, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 And now the Hong Kong authorities are looking west and creating a new fund for Asian and European co-productions. Patrick Frater, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024 And the campaign is conducting outreach to establish coalitions with key base voters who were crucial to his 2020 win, including Black, Hispanic and Asian American and Pacific Islander voters. Allison Novelo, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024 Only 30,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild, providing only limited access to existing cells to use, according to Wired’s Matt Reynolds. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 With Singapore the only Southeast Asian stop on the tour — something that caused no end of grumbling from its neighbors — fans from China to Malaysia have flocked to the city-state. Regine Cabato, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 The Hmong American Women’s Association, which serves the Hmong and Southeast Asian community, has advocates available at (414) 930-9352 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Journal Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2024 Both firms were among the American suppliers that began pulling their staff from China after those rules went into effect and prohibited U.S. engineers from servicing some machines in the Asian country. Cagan Koc, Fortune Asia, 8 Mar. 2024 Along with being able to play games and watch movies or TV shows, the airline is working with its partners to feature resort destinations and activities in the South Asian country. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2024
Noun
Today, Chopra’s resumé is long and impressive, boasting two Asian Games titles and a Commonwealth Games gold medal on top of his world and Olympic triumphs. George Ramsay, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Bauer said Asian Breeze initially planned to pitch him in a Saturday exhibition against the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Some 38% of women have at least one tattoo while 27% of men have one; 39% of Black Americans have tattoos, while 35% of Hispanic adults and 14% of Asian Americans have tats. Byamanda Gerut, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024 Arab Americans make up 39% of city residents, most of them Yemeni, and Asian Americans make up 29% of the city, a majority of them Bangladeshi. Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2024 Veteran mainland Chinese director Zhang Yimou is to be honored twice over at the Asian Film Awards ceremony on Sunday. Patrick Frater, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 The group is co-chaired by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council and the Asian Business Association. Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024 According to the Asian Media Centre, the word Nemawashi translates to 'working around the roots'; this concept relates to when a tree is transplanted to take great care with each root to ensure maximum survivability when the tree is transplanted. Micah Logan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Arab Americans make up 39% of Hamtramck's population, most of them of Yemeni descent, with an additional 29% who are Asian American, a majority of them with roots in Bangladesh. Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Asian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1550, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Asian was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Asian

Cite this Entry

“Asian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Asian. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Asian

adjective
ˈā-zhən,
ˈā-shən
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Asia or its people
Asian noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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