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.
Those stories are from an Associated Press investigation released last year looking into fraudulent adoption practices that facilitated the adoption of thousands of Korean children into families around the world in the years following the Korean War. Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025 In a week that saw French right-wing leader Marine Le Pen banned from running for office, the South Korean Constitutional Court's ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol from office on Friday has critics looking towards Beijing’s hand in efforts to remove the leader from power. Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2025 Add This Vegetarian Food to Your List By María Quiles Shopping 14 Korean Toners to Hydrate and Repair the Skin Barrier By Rosa Jisoo Pyo The latest fashion news, beauty coverage, celebrity style, fashion week updates, culture reviews, and videos on Vogue.com. Amy Verner, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2025 John Foster Dulles, who was President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Secretary of State, conceived the strategy during the Korean War, aiming at restricting the Soviet Union and the Communist China's accesses to the Western Pacific with U.S. allied and friendly territories. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 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 Apr. 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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