Asiatic

[ey-zhee-at-ik, ey-shee-, ey-zee-]

adjective

1. Asian.

noun

Usually Offensive.

1. an Asian person.

Asiatic

/ ˌeɪʃɪˈætɪk, -zɪ- /

noun

1. a word formerly used for Asian

Usage

Asiatic is the correct word to use in scientific language when talking about flora, fauna and anthropology, for instance Asiatic lion . Using it as a noun is offensive and old-fashioned

Sensitive Note

See Asian.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Asiatic adjective
• half-Asiatic adjective
• non-Asiatic adjective
• pro-Asiatic adjective
• trans-Asiatic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Asiatic¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin Asiāticus, from Greek Asiātikos; Asia, -tic ( def. )

Example Sentences

Indeed, as one Royal Asiatic Society lecturer quipped:

From BBC

Past the front yard, more than 80 varieties of towering Asiatic lilies, some as tall as 8 feet, create a dramatic and elegant display.

From Seattle Times

The jailings prompted a massive outcry from conservationists, academics, and political leaders urging Iran to release the conservationists, who were working to protect endangered species such as the Asiatic cheetah.

From Science Magazine

Asiatic proximity isn’t just token aesthetics, but a meaningful lesson and layer to the show.

From Salon

The Asiatic lions, along with other animals like spectacled langurs, two leopards and four Indian antelopes, had been transferred to the Bengal Safari park from the nearby state of Tripura early this month.

From New York Times