Asian American

American  

[ey-zhuhn-uh-mer-i-kuhn, ey-shuhn-] / ˌeɪ ʒən əˈmɛr ɪ kən, ˈeɪ ʃən- /

noun

1. a citizen or resident of the U.S. of Asian birth or descent.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Asian Americans or their culture.

2. Asian-American, occurring between the United States and Asia.

   Protectionist tariffs negatively affected the volume of Asian-American trade.

Etymology

Origin of Asian American

First recorded in 1965–70

Compare meaning

How does asian-american compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Asian American vs. Asian

Example Sentences

Yet it simultaneously professes anxiety about an Asian American who has decidedly not stood apart from American institutions and culture: After graduating from Yale Law School, Wang clerked for two Supreme Court justices.

From Slate • May 26, 2026

“It just felt like this would be the perfect confluence,” Hwang said, to revisit “Flower Drum Song” with other Asian American creatives, at the nation’s longest-running Asian American theater.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

In 2021, more than 1,400 U.S.-trained Chinese scientists left American jobs for roles in China, a 22% jump from the previous year, according to a survey published by Asian American Scholar Forum, an advocacy group.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Playwright Erin Courtney, who first encountered Adams at Clubbed Thumb, is working with him, in conjunction with the National Asian American Theatre Company, on her new play “Begin, Again.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

A couple looked Asian American, a couple white.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart