San
noun
a member of a nomadic aboriginal people of southern Africa.
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San
1 American
[sahn]
/ sɑn /
noun
-
Sans,
plural
-
San
plural
-
a member of a nomadic aboriginal people of southern Africa.
-
any of more than a dozen related Khoisan languages spoken by the San.
San
2
American
[sahn]
/ sɑn /
noun
-san
3
American
San
1
British
/ sɑːn /
noun
-
an aboriginal people of southern Africa
-
a group of the Khoisan languages, spoken mostly by Bushmen
San
2
British
/ sɑːn /
noun
san
3
British
/ sæn /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of -san
< Japanese, contraction of -sama suffix denoting direction, appearance, respect
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.
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Construction on Metro’s East San Fernando Valley light rail project will begin this week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
In the front yard of Ryan Elam’s Mediterranean-inspired home in San Diego County, a ring of drought-tolerant bushes is bedded in roughly $6,000 worth of fresh mulch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
In the night's final encounter, back-to-back NBA most valuable player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points for the Oklahoma City Thunder as they completed a 116-104 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
When Rati Sahi Levesque was seven years old, she began helping out at her parents’ popular Indian-American restaurant in San Francisco.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
I knew of a few older girls back in San Francisco who’d been married by arrangement, the brides’ and grooms’ photos exchanged by parents.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Alcoa san k 7% after the aluminum producer’s first-quarter earnings and revenue fell short of analysts’ expectations.
From Barron's ● Apr. 17, 2026
Miyazaki san responded, “I am making this movie because I do not have the answer.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2023
“Miyazaki san is a master of that stature.”
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 8, 2023
The pair, Sean Turnell, a former adviser to deposed Myanmar leader Aung san Suu Kyi and Vicky Bowman, were headed to Bangkok on an evening flight, the source said.
From Reuters ● Nov. 17, 2022
After visiting san bernardino and seeing the long fines at McDonald’s, Carl Karcher went home to Anaheim and decided to open his own self-service restaurant.
From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser
Quebec-born Celine Dion represented France in the 1988 contest, and took the trophy with her song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Davide Musardo, who volunteered with Medecins Sans Frontieres, has written of trying to provide therapy against the background of drones and explosions.
From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2025
Sans an Axl assist, Alice in Chains still emerged from a crowded Seattle grunge scene and found deserved fame thanks to several timeless, hit-laden studio albums and EPs in the early to mid ’90s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2025
But Doctors Without Borders, known in French as Médecins Sans Frontières, confirmed that’s not the case.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 1, 2023
“Our method will be as our mood suits us. Sans incendiary devices, of course. Now please start choosing people so we may begin.”
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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