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Nepalese

American  
[nep-uh-leez, -lees] / ˌnɛp əˈliz, -ˈlis /

adjective

  1. of or relating to Nepal, its inhabitants, or their language.


noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Nepal.

  2. Nepali.

Nepalese British  
/ ˌnɛpəˈliːz /

adjective

  1. of or relating to Nepal or its inhabitants

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Nepal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Nepalese is used as a plural noun (a candidate favored by the Nepalese ), but it's relatively rare as a singular noun (the candidate who is a Nepalese ).

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

Etymology

Origin of Nepalese

First recorded in 1810–20; Nepal + -ese

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But Everest, first scaled in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, was a far more formidable and dangerous beast.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Chemaf’s founder, Shiraz Virji, son of a Zanzibar spice merchant, once hired dozens of Gurkhas, Nepalese soldiers with a reputation for fierceness, to guard one of the company’s mines against incursions by informal miners.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

He defeated the former Nepalese Prime Minister Sharma KP Oli in his parliamentary constituency.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

Millions of Nepalese cast ballots Thursday during the first national election since youth-led protests toppled the country’s previous leader last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

Piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Madan Khatri Chhetri of the Nepalese army, the olive-drab B2 Squirrel helicopter—stripped of all unnecessary fuel and equipment—made two passes, but on each occasion aborted at the last moment.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

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