Korean

noun

Ko·​re·​an kə-ˈrē-ən How to pronounce Korean (audio)
 especially Southern  (ˌ)kō-
1
: a native or inhabitant of Korea
2
: the language of the Korean people
Korean adjective

Examples of Korean 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.
Charismatic and successful military leaders like Douglas MacArthur, who refused to follow President Harry Truman’s orders during the Korean War, will always hold considerable power due to the prestige and dominance that militaries bring. Big Think, 18 Oct. 2025 The South Korean ventured to the city back in 2005, learning from kitchens at Le Bernardin and Per Se, among others. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2025 That includes English to Bengali, Dutch, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malayalam, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Tamil, Telugu, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025 Many of the most famous coastal landings in military history have involved the Marines, including the members of Pendleton’s 1st Marine Division, which led an amphibious assault at Inchon in 1950 that helped during the Korean War in favor of allied forces. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Korean

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Korean was in 1600

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Cite this Entry

“Korean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Korean. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

Korean

noun
Ko·​re·​an kə-ˈrē-ən How to pronounce Korean (audio)
1
: a person born or living in Korea
2
: the language of the Korean people
Korean adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Korean

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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