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  • Mongol
    Mongol
    noun
    a member of a pastoral people now living chiefly in Mongolia.
  • mongol
    mongol
    noun
    a formerly used and now highly offensive name for a person affected by Down's syndrome

Mongol

American  
[mong-guhl, -gohl, mon-] / ˈmɒŋ gəl, -goʊl, ˈmɒn- /

noun

  1. a member of a pastoral people now living chiefly in Mongolia.

  2. Anthropology. (no longer in technical use) a person having Mongoloid characteristics.

  3. any Mongolian language.

  4. (often lowercase) (no longer in technical use; now considered offensive) a person affected with Down syndrome.


adjective

  1. Mongolian.

Mongol 1 British  
/ ˈmɒŋɡɒl, -ɡəl /

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Mongolia, esp a nomad

  2. the Mongolian language

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mongol 2 British  
/ ˈmɒŋɡəl /

noun

  1. a formerly used and now highly offensive name for a person affected by Down's syndrome

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of Mongol

First recorded in 1610–20; from French mongal, ultimately from Mongolian Mongol, possibly from mong “brave”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A spokesperson for Erdenes Mongol couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

The chart extends from the islands of the North Atlantic Ocean to the Mongol empire’s Golden Horde in what is now Eastern Europe.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2023

He sat alongside President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, who wore a traditional robe, wide-brimmed Mongol hat and boots.

From Reuters • Sep. 2, 2023

“Once upon a time, it was either/or: Either the world was ruled by the pope, or the world was ruled by the Mongol Empire. And now I think both sides are much more tolerant.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 30, 2023

As Samir crawled over to check my knee, I said, “That’s the Mongol gunner, right?”

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

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