Korean

American  

[kuh-ree-uhn, kaw-, koh-] / kəˈri ən, kɔ-, koʊ- /

adjective

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

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of South Korea or North Korea.

2. the language of South Korea or North Korea. Kor

korean British  

/ kəˈriːən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Korea, its people, or their language

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Korea

2. the official language of North and South Korea, considered by some scholars to be part of the Altaic family of languages

Etymology

Origin of Korean

First recorded in 1605–15; Kore(a) + -an

Compare meaning

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

• Korean vs. Vietnam War

Example Sentences

The Korean wolf, as described in an American newspaper in 1916, sports "piercing eyes" and "wonderful agility".

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Last week, a young wolf burrowed under a fence at his zoo in the South Korean city of Daejeon and escaped - becoming the country's newest, furriest fugitive.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Many hope Neukgu will not meet the same fate, including South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who wrote on X: "I hope no human casualties occur and I pray that Neukgu also returns home safely."

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

China and Japan have started raising prices in April, the analysts say, adding that South Korean companies are likely to follow.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

“I always hated Korean school, but I bet you’ll do really well, Junie!”

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh