Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

Okinawan

American  
[oh-kuh-nah-wuhn, oh-kuh-nau-uhn] / ˌoʊ kəˈnɑ wən, ˌoʊ kəˈnaʊ ən /

noun

plural

Okinawans
  1. a person from Okinawa.

  2. a Ryukyuan language, spoken primarily in the southern Okinawa islands.


adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Okinawa, its people, or their languages.

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.

After clambering up three flights of a dark apartment-building stairwell, I entered Higatei, which celebrates all things awamori, an Okinawan rice-based spirit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025

A public opinion poll conducted last year revealed that 70% of Okinawan residents feel the concentration of US bases there is "unfair".

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2024

In September, Mr. Tamaki took his case against Tokyo’s support for the U.S. troop presence on Okinawan before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, generating a wave of criticism back home.

From Washington Times • Dec. 29, 2023

The Mediterranean and Okinawan diets have consistently been shown to contribute to better health, including lower rates of obesity and other metabolic diseases.

From Salon • Aug. 24, 2023

Our carriers went first, sending planes against the Okinawan airfields.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "Okinawan" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com