: of, relating to, or characteristic of the continent of Asia or its people
Asian vs. Asiatic: Usage Guide
Asian is now solidly preferred to Asiatic; the latter persists mainly in the names of some kinds of flora and fauna.
an Asiatic lily
the Asiatic elephant
Asiatic still has some use as a geographical designator
the Asiatic side of the Bosporus
but has increasingly been considered offensive, especially as associated with the policies of colonialism.
1
: a native or inhabitant of Asia
2
: a person of Asian descent
Examples of Asian in a Sentence
Noun
There are many Asians living in South America.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 22 Dec. 2025
The two white students in the group delegated tasks to Lissette and Marie, a female Asian student in the group.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 22 Dec. 2025
In Beijing’s Olympic Park, a stone’s throw from the celebrated Bird’s Nest Stadium, sits the headquarters of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Asian
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Adjective
Fatehi is one of the flagship artists on 5 Junction Records, a joint venture label under WMG that launched this year as a pipeline for South Asian stars to reach North American audiences.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 22 Dec. 2025
The two white students in the group delegated tasks to Lissette and Marie, a female Asian student in the group.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Noun
Business within the neighboring countries and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region is also at stake, with regional leaders observing that an unrepresentative election process would detract from economic confidence in Myanmar and affect cross-border commercial ties.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 22 Dec. 2025
In Beijing’s Olympic Park, a stone’s throw from the celebrated Bird’s Nest Stadium, sits the headquarters of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Asian
Cite this Entry
“Asian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Asian. Accessed 28 Dec. 2025.
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