Asian

1 of 2

adjective

ˈā-zhən 

 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

The downward trend has spurred officials into action over concerns that Vietnam could follow the path of East Asian countries, where fertility rates in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have been falling. —George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024

But in 1997, the first global credit crisis of scale in 200 years erupted in Thailand and spread to the Asian economies that had open markets. —Ann Rutledge, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024

Noun

Kimmy Yam Kimmy Yam is a reporter for NBC Asian America. —Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 26 Dec. 2024

Also, the most common ethnicity of engineers is White at 67.9%, followed by Asian at 15.0%, Hispanic at 9.1% and Black 3.3%. —Kori Hale, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1550, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing Asian

• anti-Asian
• Asian American
• Asian carp
• Asian citrus psyllid
• Asian elephant
• Asian flu
• Asian giant hornet
• Asian hornet
• Asian longhorn beetle
• Asian longhorned beetle
• Asian pear
• Asian tiger mosquito

Kids Definition

Asian

adjective

ˈā-zhən,

ˈā-shən

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Asia or its people

Asian noun