Iranian

American  

[ih-rey-nee-uhn, ih-rah-, ahy-rey-] / ɪˈreɪ ni ən, ɪˈrɑ-, aɪˈreɪ- /

Also Irani

adjective

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

2. of or relating to the Iranian languages.

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noun

1. a subbranch of the Indo-European family of languages, including especially Persian, Pashto, Avestan, and Kurdish.

2. an inhabitant of Iran; Persian.

Iranian British  

/ ɪˈreɪnɪən /

noun

1. a native, citizen, or inhabitant of Iran

2. a branch of the Indo-European family of languages, divided into West Iranian (including Old Persian, Pahlavi, modern Persian, Kurdish, Baluchi, and Tajik) and East Iranian (including Avestan, Sogdian, Pashto, and Ossetic)

3. Also: Persian.   Farsi.  the modern Persian language

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adjective

1. relating to, denoting, or characteristic of Iran, its inhabitants, or their language; Persian

2. belonging to or relating to the Iranian branch of Indo-European

Other Word Forms

• anti-Iranian
  adjective
• pro-Iranian
  adjective
• pseudo-Iranian
  adjective
• trans-Iranian
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Iranian

First recorded in 1835–45; Iran + -ian

Example Sentences

Appeared in the May 7, 2026, print edition as 'The Deal With the Iranian Regime'.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

Iranian parliamentarian Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, wrote on X that the 14 points reported by Axios amounted to a US "wish list".

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told local media that the "US plan and proposal are still under review," and that Tehran would convey its position to Pakistan "after finalising its views."

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

A base of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is located near the school.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

My parents knew the dating pool was already small enough and that the only way we'd connect with an Iranian guy was if he'd been raised in America like us.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi