Asiatic

American  

[ey-zhee-at-ik, ey-shee-, ey-zee-] / ˌeɪ ʒiˈæt ɪk, ˌeɪ ʃi-, ˌeɪ zi- /

adjective

1. Asian.

---

noun

Usually Offensive.

1. an Asian person.

Asiatic British  

/ ˌeɪʃɪˈætɪk, -zɪ- /

noun

1. a word formerly used for Asian

---

Sensitive Note

See 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

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of Asiatic

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

Example Sentences

The 12-year-old Asiatic black bear had been rehomed at the zoo in January after being rescued from the village of Yampil in the Donetsk province of eastern Ukraine.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2024

Last March, a female Asiatic cheetah, dubbed Majrad by scientists, was killed by a car in Iran’s Semnan province.

From Slate • May 25, 2024

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 • Apr. 10, 2024

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

From Salon • Mar. 3, 2024

Closely related to the North African ass is the Asiatic ass, also known as the onager.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond