Khmer

American  

[kmair, kuh-mair] / kmɛər, kəˈmɛər /

noun

1. a member of a people in Cambodia whose ancestors established an empire about the 5th century a.d. and who reached their zenith during the 9th to the 12th centuries when they dominated most of Indochina.

2. an Austroasiatic language that is the official language of Cambodia.

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Khmer British  

/ kmɜː, kmɛə /

noun

1. a member of a people of Cambodia, noted for a civilization that flourished from about 800 _ad to about 1370, remarkable for its architecture

2. the language of this people, belonging to the Mon-Khmer family: the official language of Cambodia

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adjective

1. of or relating to this people or their language

Other Word Forms

• Khmerian
  adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Khmer

"Resolving this issue with a conciliatory spirit through dialogue between Khmer and Khmer is the best option for the national and Cambodian people's interest," Kem Sokha said, referring to the majority ethnic group in Cambodia.

From Barron's ● May 25, 2026

Experts say the trade thrived from the mid-1960s to the 1990s -- a period of instability that saw the anti-intellectual Khmer Rouge regime rise to power and left precious heritage unprotected.

From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026

There have always been close links between people in Surin: many Cambodians work there, and Khmer, the Cambodian language, is spoken throughout the region.

From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025

The technical focus and heterogeneity of artworks, styles and geographies in these first spaces make for a cluttered opening, leaving the undeniable charisma of Khmer sculpture to wait until subsequent rooms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025

Only then will we be worthy to call ourselves Khmer.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung