Asian

[ey-zhuhn, ey-shuhn]

adjective

1. of, belonging to, or characteristic of Asia or its inhabitants.

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Asia or a person of Asian descent.

Asian

/ ˈeɪʃən, ˈeɪʒən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Asia or to any of its peoples or languages

2. of or relating to natives of the Indian subcontinent or any of their descendants, esp when living in Britain

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Asia or a descendant of one

2. a native of the Indian subcontinent or a descendant of one

Usage

To refer to someone from the Indian subcontinent as an Asian is potentially offensive and should be avoided. If you are talking about one specific group, it is better to say so, for instance people of Indian descent

Sensitive Note

Asian is the most commonly used term referring to people in or from Asia, especially East Asia. In American English, Oriental as a noun or adjective applied to people is outdated and has become a sensitive term to be avoided. It is associated with a bygone era in which Asians had subordinate status and their culture was perceived as strange and exotic. Also, the origin of the term Oriental represents a Eurocentric view of geography, since the Orient, or East, is east of Europe. However, Oriental is a neutral, inoffensive term when used as an adjective describing Asian culture or things from Asia. Similarly, the term Asiatic is usually offensive when referring to people, but neutral when referring to Asian culture, animals, etc. Though Asian is an acceptable ethnic designation in most contexts, it is best to be as specific as possible, rather than to group all Asians into a single cultural identity. In general, people of South, Southeast, and East Asian origin prefer to be identified by their country of origin: for example, Indian, Pakistani, Indonesian, Korean, Japanese, or Chinese. The people of the Middle East and Polynesia are not usually referred to as Asian.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Asian adjective
• half-Asian adjective
• non-Asian adjective
• pro-Asian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Asian¹

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin Asiānus, from Greek Asiānós; Asia, -an

Example Sentences

Its composition has yet to be determined, but it could draw on troops from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Indonesia and possibly several Central Asian nations.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Rising interest in South Asian art boosts the ecosystem, but record-breaking sales of established artists don't directly aid newcomers - ground-up support remains essential.

Read more on BBC

Cao reads financial news first thing after waking up in the morning, monitors his phone for stock alerts while at work and checks the Asian markets once he gets home.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He was also known for holding closely the cause of supporting immigrant workers, as well as fostering Asian American labor leaders.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Ray is the son of an Asian woman and a serviceman who fought in Vietnam.

Read more on Salon