Nepali

noun

Ne·​pali nə-ˈpȯ-lē How to pronounce Nepali (audio) -ˈpä- How to pronounce Nepali (audio)
-ˈpa-
plural Nepali also Nepalis
1
: a native or inhabitant of Nepal
2
: an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal
Nepali adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Everest has been climbed more than 11,000 times, from both the Nepali and Tibetan sides, since it was first scaled in 1953, with many people going up multiple times. Reuters, NBC News, 17 May 2023 This Nepali movie, directed by Upendra Subba, follows a man’s struggle to bring back his wife. Dallasnews.com Staff, Dallas News, 12 May 2023 Yamuna Shrestha owes back rent on her Nepali restaurant in Queens and is struggling with increases. Stefanos Chen, New York Times, 8 May 2023 The more than 460 climbers who have received permission to climb this spring will be accompanied by more than 1,500 Nepali Sherpas and other staff at the base camp and above. Sugam Pokharel, CNN, 26 Apr. 2023 The missing Nepali guides were swept into a crack in a glacier and buried by an avalanche, Reuters reports. Laura Barcella, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Nepali.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hindi naipālī of Nepal, from Sanskrit naipālīya, from Nepāla Nepal

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Nepali was in 1882

Dictionary Entries Near Nepali

Cite this Entry

“Nepali.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Nepali. Accessed 6 Jun. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on Nepali

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