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
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South Korea and the US have been staunch allies since the end of the Korean War in 1953 and have stepped up cooperation in recent years, drawing closer in a joint effort to combat Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025 The test Monday observed by leader Kim Jong Un was the ninth of the solid rocket motor built with carbon fiber and capable of producing 1,971 kilonewtons (443,000 pounds) of thrust, more powerful than past models, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025 That tune, a collaboration with Bruno Mars, became one of the most successful tracks in American history that can be classified as K-pop, as the Blackpink singer performs some of the lyrics in Korean as well as English. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 Among those aboard the Korean Air charter, 316 were South Korean, according to Yonhap News, a Korean news agency. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 11 Sep. 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 13 Sep. 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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