Asiatic

adjective

Asi·​at·​ic ˌā-zhē-ˈa-tik 

-zē-

sometimes offensive

: asian

Asiatic noun sometimes offensive

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.

Examples of Asiatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Asiatic lilies bloom reliably atop 2- to 5-foot sturdy stems and overwinter in the ground, so no lifting and storing is needed. — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026

Three former fields will be burned to help renew the grassland and reduce the spread of invasive plants such as Asiatic bittersweet, Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, and autumn olive. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026

There are five cheetah subspecies, and the Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) is believed to have been the only subspecies that lived in present-day Saudi Arabia. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Jan. 2026

The ecological fallout has been severe; iconic species such as the Asiatic cheetahs face imminent extinction and the Siberian crane has now disappeared entirely from Iran’s wetlands. — Shooka Bidarian, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing Asiatic

• Afro-Asiatic
• Asiatic cholera
• Asiatic elephant

Kids Definition

Asiatic

adjective

Asi·​at·​ic ˌā-zhē-ˈat-ik 

-zē-

sometimes offensive

: asian

Asiatic noun sometimes offensive