Burmese

[ ber-meez, ‑-mees ]

adjective

1. of or relating to Burma (now Myanmar), its inhabitants, or their language.
2. Burman ( def 3 ).

noun

, plural Bur·mese.

1. a native or inhabitant of Burma (now Myanmar).
2. Burman ( def 1 ).
3. the Tibeto-Burman language of the Burman ethnic group: the official language of Burma (now Myanmar).

Burmese

/ bɜːˈmiːz /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Burma (Myanmar), its people, or their language

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Burma (Myanmar)
2. the official language of Burma (Myanmar), belonging to the Sino-Tibetan family

Usage Note

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of Burmese¹

First recorded in 1815–25; Burm(a) + -ese

Example Sentences

Something I rarely talk about is that to be Burmese is to be afraid.

From Time

By initially allowing its app to be used without incurring data charges, Facebook quickly became the core Internet service for many newly-online Burmese.

From Time

As the artists’ work has spread on Burmese social media, young people have found the images online and reprinted them.

From Time

The message, in Burmese, called the actions of the military unjustified, and said they went against both the constitution and the will of the voters, according to the Associated Press.

From Time

Facebook gives more details about its efforts against hate speech before Myanmar’s general election — This includes adding Burmese language warning screens to flag information rated false by third-party fact-checkers.

From TechCrunch

Manttan is keen to carry out research on that Burmese side of the railway as his father worked on that section.

From The Daily Beast

"I have no faith in the Burmese government anymore," she said.

From The Daily Beast

Another piece might cause people to come up short is an elaborate green Burmese Buddhist alms bowl on a stand covered in gold.

From The Daily Beast

Chinese Drones Target Drug KingpinBy Brendan Hong How China used drones to capture a Burmese drug kingpin.

From The Daily Beast

“The Burmese Army has not changed,” one Karenni ranger said.

From The Daily Beast

But that part of the Burmese army stationed at Arracan, under the command of Bandoola, had been more successful.

From Project Gutenberg

The hero, having an uncle, a trader on the Indian and Burmese rivers, goes out to join him.

From Project Gutenberg

It is a good thing we brought Ramaswamy with us, for he can speak Burmese and interpret for us; the monk knows no English.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a grand idea thus to preserve indelibly on stone the whole Burmese Bible.

From Project Gutenberg

This is a grand chance, because Burmese pwés are very funny things indeed.

From Project Gutenberg