Thai
Americanadjective
noun
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Thais,
plural
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Thai
plural
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Also called Thailander. a native or or inhabitant of Thailand, or a person of Thai descent.
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the language of Thailand, a member of the Tai group of languages.
adjective
noun
-
a native or inhabitant of Thailand
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the language of Thailand, sometimes classified as belonging to the Sino-Tibetan family
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Thai
First recorded in 1800–10; from Thai; literally, “free,” a self-designation
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.
See Examples For:
It came the day before an expected decision on a legal challenge brought by Bai's lawyers against Thai authorities over his continued detention.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
She’s also planning to explore plush Thai food in honor of Grandma’s Thai Kitchen, the Van Nuys restaurant her mother owned and operated for years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
The disruption is likely to trim Thai Airways’ 2026 earnings before interest and taxes by 230 million baht, which is equivalent to only 0.9% of DBS’s 2026 Ebit estimate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Bangkok was declared a disaster-affected zone after continuous heavy rains caused widespread flooding in the Thai capital.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
“There’s a new Thai restaurant that Baba wants to try.”
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
Thailand has only 25 government-run old-age homes, but the World Bank forecasts 2.5 million Thais over 80 will need help by the early 2040s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
A 2024 survey by Thailand’s statistics office found that 45% of Thais over 60 have no savings at all, while another 35% have less than $3,000.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
They often hold public processions and are widely seen receiving alms of goodwill from ordinary Thais.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
As the dust from what has been a hard-fought election campaign in Thailand settles, many Thais may be rubbing their eyes and asking, "what just happened?"
From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026
The historical southward expansions of Burmese, Laotians, and Thais from South China completed the Sinification of tropical Southeast Asia.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
