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Korean

noun

Ko·​re·​an kə-ˈrē-ən How to pronounce Korean (audio)
especially Southern (ˌ)kō-
1
: a native or inhabitant of Korea
2
: the language of the Korean people
Korean adjective

Examples of Korean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The children of George Carroll, a Korean War veteran, were told their father went out for cigarettes and never returned. Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025 Kramer earned a master’s degree at the University of Michigan and served three years in the Army during the Korean War. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Dec. 2025 Nashville Department of Transportation has completed installation of the spheres on the North side of Korean Veterans Boulevard and is coordinating with Nashville Downtown Partnership on the artwork element of the project. Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Dec. 2025 Previous performances have featured classical and contemporary Chinese instruments, Vietnamese folk dancers and Korean-American a cappella singers at Paradise Garden and Sonoma Terrace. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Korean

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Korean was in 1600

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Korean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Korean. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

Korean

noun
Ko·​re·​an kə-ˈrē-ən How to pronounce Korean (audio)
1
: a person born or living in Korea
2
: the language of the Korean people
Korean adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Korean

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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