Asiatic

adjective

Asi·​at·​ic ˌā-zhē-ˈa-tik 

-zē-

sometimes offensive

: asian

Asiatic noun sometimes offensive

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.

Examples of Asiatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Three former fields will be burned to help renew the grassland and reduce the spread of invasive plants such as Asiatic bittersweet, Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, and autumn olive. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026

Asiatic lilies bloom reliably atop 2- to 5-foot sturdy stems and overwinter in the ground, so no lifting and storing is needed. — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026

It was previously believed that the Asiatic cheetah, called Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, was the only subspecies ever present in Saudi Arabia. — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026

Genomic sequencing further showed that the youngest of the cheetah mummies was closely related to what is now known as the Asiatic cheetah, while older specimens were more genetically aligned with the Northwest African cheetah. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing Asiatic

• Afro-Asiatic
• Asiatic cholera
• Asiatic elephant

Kids Definition

Asiatic

adjective

Asi·​at·​ic ˌā-zhē-ˈat-ik 

-zē-

sometimes offensive

: asian

Asiatic noun sometimes offensive