: 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
Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
Moose Jaw was actually unusual for its welcoming of Chinese immigrants, no small achievement in the often violently racist response to Asian immigrants to North America.
—JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2025
Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
Diwali celebrations begin by devotees deep cleaning their homes and surroundings to prepare for the goddess' arrival, the National Museum of Asian Art noted.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Asian
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Braswell said the reopening Asian market, particularly China, was crucial for the forestry industry in the Southeast.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
Moose Jaw was actually unusual for its welcoming of Chinese immigrants, no small achievement in the often violently racist response to Asian immigrants to North America.
—JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
Awards will include the Tokyo Projects Award, worth $13,300 (JPY2M), selected by an industry jury; the Asian Gen‑Z Award, worth $3,300 (JPY500,000), chosen by a committee of Gen-Z film students; as well as in-kind awards from leading Asian post-production houses White Light and Kongchak.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
Diwali celebrations begin by devotees deep cleaning their homes and surroundings to prepare for the goddess' arrival, the National Museum of Asian Art noted.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 20 Oct. 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 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share