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.
For the most part, the songs were mainly in English, but there were moments when Korean was used, adding authenticity to the story. Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 Because Korean War hostilities ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty, the neighbors technically remain in a state of war. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 Pitt and de Ramon stepped out hand in hand to dine at Cote Korean Steakhouse in New York City with their celebrity pals. Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025 That process was used to address President Harry S. Truman’s seizure of steel mills during the Korean War (Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer) and President Richard Nixon’s obligation to surrender White House tapes for use in Watergate cover-up trials (United States v. Nixon). Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 30 June 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

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Cite this Entry

“Korean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Korean. Accessed 3 Jul. 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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