Persian

[ pur-zhuhn, -shuhn ]

/ ˈpɜr ʒən, -ʃən /

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Definition of Persian

adjective

of or relating to ancient and recent Persia (now Iran), its people, or their language.

noun

a member of the native peoples of Iran, descended in part from the ancient Iranians.

a citizen of ancient Persia.

an Iranian language, the principal language of Iran and western Afghanistan, in its historical and modern forms. Abbreviations: Pers, Pers.Compare Old Persian, Pahlavi, Farsi.

Architecture. a figure of a man used as a column.

Persians. Persian blinds.

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of Persian

First recorded in 1325–75; Persi(a) + -an; replacing Middle English Persien, from Middle French; replacing Old English Persisc (see -ish¹)

OTHER WORDS FROM Persian

pre-Persian, adjective, nounpseudo-Persian, adjective, nountrans-Persian, adjective

Words nearby Persian

persevering, Pershing, Pershing II, Pershing, John, Persia, Persian, Persian blinds, Persian carpet, Persian cat, Persian Empire, Persian greyhound

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Persian in a sentence

Under the Shadow, a film from Persian writer-director Babak Anvari that takes place during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, deserves a place in the same canon.
The Best International Movies on Netflix|Chris Grasinger|June 11, 2021|Time
If you don’t have saffron, that’s all right, you can make this recipe for Persian-style chicken and rice without it.
Fragrant saffron and sweet onions make this Persian-style chicken and rice a feast for the senses|Daniela Galarza|March 4, 2021|Washington Post
This is a pity, as Persian statesmen and the clerical rulers have not lived unexamined lives.
America and Iran, from fascination to antagonism|Ray Takeyh|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
Missing “a taste of home,” she asked her mother to share the recipes for her favorite Persian dishes.
This herb-packed Persian fish stew is good to the last tangy, spicy spoonful|Charlotte Druckman|January 27, 2021|Washington Post

Our gluten-free cookie trip now takes a turn to this Persian specialty.
Sticky, gooey, crunchy, chewy — 11 gluten-free cookie recipes to delight in this holiday season|Becky Krystal|December 17, 2020|Washington Post
In the south, the Gulf States view their Persian nuclear neighbor as a permanent archenemy.
The Nuclear Deal That Iran’s Regime Fears Most|Djavad Khadem|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the win was the puniest of the conflagrations, the Persian Gulf War.
Can America Still Win Wars?|Michael Tomasky|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These are combined with aspects of the Zoroastrian religion, the ancient Persian faith still practiced in the region.
Fighting Back With Faith: Inside the Yezidis’ Iraqi Temple|Michael Luongo|August 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The U.S.S. George H.W. Bush, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, has been dispatched to the Persian Gulf.
U.S. Taps Old Allies for New Iraq War|Eli Lake|June 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Persian frontier was the only firmly delineated border, asserted by mountains.
Gertrude of Arabia, the Woman Who Invented Iraq|Clive Irving|June 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The apocryphal gospels contain many, and some are preserved by Persian and Arabian poets.
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
The Turkish and Persian pipes have often a small wooden tube inside the amber mouth-piece.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
She moved back to the splendid show-room with its Persian carpets and Louis Seize furniture as if nothing had happened.
The Weight of the Crown|Fred M. White
The Persian era began, recording the fall of the Sassanian dynasty, and the religion of Zoroaster.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
It is believed that Raphael was the guardian angel of the Persian Empire.
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 1 (of 10)|Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)

British Dictionary definitions for Persian

Persian

/ (ˈpɜːʃən) /

adjective

of or relating to ancient Persia or modern Iran, their inhabitants, or their languages

noun

a native, citizen, or inhabitant of modern Iran; an Iranian

a member of an Indo-European people of West Iranian speech who established a great empire in SW Asia in the 6th century bc

the language of Iran or Persia in any of its ancient or modern forms, belonging to the West Iranian branch of the Indo-European familySee also Avestan, Old Persian, Pahlavi 2, Farsi

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