Mongol

1 of 2

noun

Mon·​gol ˈmäŋ-gəl How to pronounce Mongol (audio)
ˈmän-ˌgōl,
ˈmäŋ-
plural Mongols
1
: a member of any of a group of traditionally pastoral peoples of Mongolia
2
3
: a member of a group of people formerly considered to constitute a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) of humans having Asian ancestry and classified according to physical traits (such as the presence of an epicanthal fold)
4
or mongol dated, now offensive : a person affected with Down syndrome

Mongol

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or constituting Mongolia, the Mongolian People's Republic, the Mongols, or the Mongolian language
2
or mongol dated, now offensive : of, relating to, or affected with Down syndrome

Examples of Mongol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
By the mid-1400s, this Mongol community evolved into the Crimean Khanate, a group that adopted political, cultural, and religious practices of neighboring Turkic and Muslim communities. Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Mongolian mongγol

First Known Use

Noun

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Mongol was in 1613

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Cite this Entry

“Mongol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mongol. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

Mongol

noun
Mon·​gol ˈmäŋ-gəl How to pronounce Mongol (audio)
ˈmän-ˌgōl
1
: a member of one of the peoples of Mongolia who traditionally raise livestock
2

More from Merriam-Webster on Mongol

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