plural Tai
1
: a widespread group of peoples in southeast Asia associated ethnically with valley paddy-rice culture
2
: a family of languages including Thai and Shan spoken in southeast Asia and China

Word History

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Tai was in 1693

Dictionary Entries Near Tai

Cite this Entry

“Tai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tai. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Tai

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!