plural Khmer or Khmers
1
: a member of an aboriginal people of Cambodia
2
: the Mon-Khmer language of the Khmer people that is the official language of Cambodia
Khmer adjective

Examples of Khmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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An international tribunal ended its work in 2022, holding just three senior Khmer Rouge members accountable for the regime's crimes. James Doubek, NPR, 18 July 2025 According to Cambodian newspaper Khmer Times, marketing teams for Vietnamese brands have visited Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, to strike deals with the country’s retailers. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 16 July 2025 The fest was especially significant this year — the 50th anniversary of resettlement in the U.S. by refugees emanating from the Vietnam War, the Secret War in Laos and the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia that attempted to eradicate artists, intellectuals and cultural bearers from society. Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 11 July 2025 Gauguin initially wanted to go to Tonkin—at the 1889 World’s Fair, he had been bowled over by an exhibit of Khmer art—but his application for a colonial job there was rejected. Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for Khmer

Word History

Etymology

northern or western dialect Khmer khmε:r, a self-designation (standard Khmer khmaε)

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Khmer was in 1881

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Khmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Khmer. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Khmer

noun
: a member of an aboriginal people of Cambodia

More from Merriam-Webster on Khmer

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