1
: one of the people of Persia: such as
a
: one of the ancient Iranians who under Cyrus and his successors founded an empire in southwest Asia
b
: a member of one of the peoples forming the modern Iranian nationality
2
a
: any of several Iranian languages dominant in Persia at different periods
b
: the modern language of Iran and western Afghanistan see Indo-European Languages Table
3
: a thin soft silk formerly used especially for linings
4
Persian
adjective
Examples of Persian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Civilian airports have been closed in Iran and flights from the Persian Gulf were diverted.
—
USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Her vision encompasses welcoming and specialized care for Asian, Persian, Indian, Black, and Brown skin types.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
His family had Christmas trees and celebrated Easter but also marked Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
—Naghmeh Farzaneh, The New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2024
Opposition critics, including Iran International, seized upon the edited recordings and accused BBC Persian of collaborating with the Iranian government.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
By Karl Vick April 17, 2024 7:02 AM EDT
The kingdoms of the Persian Gulf prosper by providing the world oil and gas, and the resulting fortunes fuel desires for prestige.
—Karl Vick, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
And scientists at coastlines in Florida, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Kenya, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and Indonesia—among many other places—are observing corals lose their color.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
In the past year, mass bleaching has been confirmed in regions including Florida and the wider Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, the South Pacific, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, Indonesia, and the Indian Ocean including the east coast of Africa and the Seychelles.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Franchises in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, and across the Persian Gulf, also released statements distancing themselves from Alonyal’s deal.
—Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Her vision encompasses welcoming and specialized care for Asian, Persian, Indian, Black, and Brown skin types.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
His family had Christmas trees and celebrated Easter but also marked Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
—Naghmeh Farzaneh, The New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2024
Opposition critics, including Iran International, seized upon the edited recordings and accused BBC Persian of collaborating with the Iranian government.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
By Karl Vick April 17, 2024 7:02 AM EDT
The kingdoms of the Persian Gulf prosper by providing the world oil and gas, and the resulting fortunes fuel desires for prestige.
—Karl Vick, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
And scientists at coastlines in Florida, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Kenya, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and Indonesia—among many other places—are observing corals lose their color.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
In the past year, mass bleaching has been confirmed in regions including Florida and the wider Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, the South Pacific, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, Indonesia, and the Indian Ocean including the east coast of Africa and the Seychelles.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Franchises in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, and across the Persian Gulf, also released statements distancing themselves from Alonyal’s deal.
—Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Persian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near Persian
Cite this Entry
“Persian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Persian. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Persian
noun
Per·sian
ˈpər-zhən 
1
: a native or inhabitant of ancient Persia or modern Iran
2
: the language of the Persians
Persian
adjective
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