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.
What To Know The collision took place in the Yellow Sea, known on the Korean Peninsula as the West Sea, near a port in southeastern China, reported The Yonhap News Agency citing a source familiar with the matter. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 Granted, there’s a fleeting chemistry between these two characters when Julius, fresh back from the Korean War, shows up at the door of his older brother Lee (Will Poulter). Peter Debruge, Variety, 13 Mar. 2025 The strategic move by then-President Harry Truman neutralized the Taiwan Strait and ensured the Korean War did not trigger a wider conflict, maintaining stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Wayne Chang, CNN, 13 Mar. 2025 In addition, the spyware can configure itself to display messages to the user in Korean or English. Michael Kan, PCMAG, 12 Mar. 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 19 Mar. 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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