Vietnamese

noun

Viet·​nam·​ese vē-ˌet-nə-ˈmēz 

ˌvyet-, 

ˌvē-ət- 

ˌvēt-, 

-na-, 

-nä-, 

-ˈmēs 

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

Vietnamese, Mexican, West African, and Central American communities brought their culinary traditions and adapted them to Texas ingredients. —Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026

Generally, these tax clinics also offer services in other languages such as Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. —ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026

And the North Vietnamese were taking no prisoners. —Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026

It’s filled with 120 recipes, many of which require a smoker and/or a grill, though some — such as their salads, curry pastes, fish sauce cheddar bay biscuits, Vietnamese-meets-Cajun seafood boil and calamansi bars — do not. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing Vietnamese

• Vietnamese cinnamon
• Vietnamese potbellied pig

Rhymes for Vietnamese

• altarpiece
• centerpiece
• frontispiece
• mantelpiece
• masterpiece
• pilates
• summarise
• syntheses
• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice

Kids Definition

Vietnamese

noun

Viet·​nam·​ese vē-ˌet-nə-ˈmēz  ˌvyet-  ˌvē-ət- 

ˌvēt-, 

-na-, 

-nä, 

-ˈmēs

plural Vietnamese

1

: a person born or living in Vietnam

2

: the official language of Vietnam

Vietnamese adjective