: 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.
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
Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
At first, it was intended only for European and Central Asian countries.
—Pintu Kumar Mahla, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Now, as the founder of SM Entertainment and widely credited as the architect of K-pop’s global expansion, Lee will be inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame on Saturday alongside basketball legend Yao Ming, Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan, and rock icon Yoshiki, among others.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Asian
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Adjective
Larson, the only Asian American to race full-time in NASCAR, has not won a race since May, totaling 24 consecutive races but thanked his crew chief Cliff Daniels for keeping the team together.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
At first, it was intended only for European and Central Asian countries.
—Pintu Kumar Mahla, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
If elected, Mamdani would be the first Muslim and the first South Asian to lead the city, and the first immigrant mayor in 80 years.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Now, as the founder of SM Entertainment and widely credited as the architect of K-pop’s global expansion, Lee will be inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame on Saturday alongside basketball legend Yao Ming, Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan, and rock icon Yoshiki, among others.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Asian
Cite this Entry
“Asian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Asian. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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