Persian

noun

Per·​sian ˈpər-zhən How to pronounce Persian (audio)
especially British -shən
1
: one of the people of Persia: such as
a
: one of the ancient Iranians who under Cyrus and his successors founded an empire in southwest Asia
b
: a member of one of the peoples forming the modern Iranian nationality
2
a
: any of several Iranian languages dominant in Persia at different periods
b
: the modern language of Iran and western Afghanistan see Indo-European Languages Table
3
: a thin soft silk formerly used especially for linings
4
: persian cat
Persian adjective

Examples of Persian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The conflict led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an important Persian Gulf sea-passage for crude oil. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026 The Persian Gulf state has declared force majeure — citing unexpected, uncontrollable events preventing contracts from being honored — every month since the March attack. — Spencer Kimball,deena Zaidi, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 When hundreds of millions of gallons were intentionally released into the Persian Gulf during the Iraq war, Kuwait had to rely on Saudi Arabia, Turkey and others to provide hundreds of water tankers and trucks to deliver bottled water. — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026 Scena’s interior design fuses rich and warm browns, Persian orange, off-whites, and black tones. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Persian

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Persian was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing Persian

Rhymes for Persian

See All Rhymes for Persian

Browse Nearby Words

Pershing
Persian
persiana
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Persian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Persian. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Persian

noun
Per·​sian ˈpər-zhən How to pronounce Persian (audio)
1
: a native or inhabitant of ancient Persia or modern Iran
2
: the language of the Persians
Persian adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Persian

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Persian

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