Vietnamese

noun

Viet·​nam·​ese vē-ˌet-nə-ˈmēz How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio)
ˌvyet-,
ˌvē-ət- How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio)
ˌvēt-,
-na-,
-nä-,
-ˈmēs How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio)
plural Vietnamese
1
: a native or inhabitant of Vietnam
2
: the language of the largest group in Vietnam and the official language of the country
Vietnamese adjective

Examples of Vietnamese 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.
Money has also poured into this acrimonious race as Steel has questioned Tran’s proficiency in Vietnamese — an important point for the district’s influential bloc of Vietnamese voters — and sought to link him to the Chinese Community Party in ads. Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024 With Vietnamese Americans, Harris invoked the stories of many in the community who fled to the U.S. as South Vietnam fell to the Viet Cong in 1975. Yash Roy, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2024 Many are also newer immigrants, so specific ethnicity — Korean or Vietnamese, for example — is more of an identity than simply being Asian American. Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024 The result: almost 300 people — nearly all Vietnamese, most of them seniors — showed up for a nonpartisan program that organizers had expected to draw 50. Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Vietnamese 

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Vietnamese was in 1947

Dictionary Entries Near Vietnamese

Cite this Entry

“Vietnamese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Vietnamese. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

Vietnamese

noun
Viet·​nam·​ese vē-ˌet-nə-ˈmēz How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio) ˌvyet- How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio) ˌvē-ət- How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio)
ˌvēt-,
-na-,
-nä,
-ˈmēs
plural Vietnamese
1
: a person born or living in Vietnam
2
: the official language of Vietnam
Vietnamese adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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