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 instance, the Biden NSS had mentioned several ongoing regional conflicts including the military coup in Myanmar and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025 The former lies between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago, and the latter links the East China Sea with the Philippine Sea. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025 Whitlow, a Korean War veteran, was first elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1970. Michael Guise, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025 The band’s name was taken from the nickname for 65th Infantry Regiment of Puerto Rico, a Puerto Rican Army unit that was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for its service in World Wars I and II and the Korean War. Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 7 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

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Cite this Entry

“Korean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Korean. Accessed 17 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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