Vietnamese

American  

[vee-et-nah-meez, -mees, -nuh-, vyet-, vee-it-] / viˌɛt nɑˈmiz, -ˈmis, -nə-, ˌvyɛt-, ˌvi ɪt- /

adjective

1. of or relating to Vietnam or its inhabitants.

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noun

plural

Vietnamese

1. Formerly Annamite.  Formerly Annamese.  the Austroasiatic language of Vietnam.

2. Sometimes Offensive. a native or inhabitant of Vietnam.

Sensitive Note

Some words that describe national or ethnic identities are acceptable as plural nouns, but are either rare or offensive in the singular. This is the case for Vietnamese. It’s sometimes acceptable as a plural noun (a candidate favored by Vietnamese ). However, it's sometimes offensive as a singular noun (the candidate who is a Vietnamese ). Such words are always perfectly appropriate as adjectives (strategies to get Vietnamese voters to the polls).

Other Word Forms

• anti-Vietnamese adjectiveanti-Vietnamese
• pro-Vietnamese adjectivepro-Vietnamese

Etymology

Origin of Vietnamese

First recorded in 1945–50; Vietnam + -ese

Example Sentences

Declines came despite new orders for Boeing jets from two Vietnamese airlines.

From Barron's

Boeing BA -2.09%decrease; red down pointing triangle signed deals to sell almost 100 jets to Vietnamese carriers valued at over $30 billion, signaling warming ties between the U.S. and Vietnam as trade talks continue.

From The Wall Street Journal

Vietnam and the US are currently negotiating a trade deal after Washington imposed 20 percent tariffs on Vietnamese goods last year.

From Barron's

But that is cold comfort for the nearly 55 percent of individual Vietnamese crypto investors who according to one market analysis reported losses last year.

From Barron's

With “Galveston Bay,” Springsteen tells the story — based on real-life events — of Vietnamese refugees who settled in the Texas Gulf region because it had a similar geography to their home country.

From Salon