South Asian

1 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of South Asia (a region of indefinite boundaries usually thought of as including all or some of the following countries: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives) or its people

South Asian

2 of 2

noun

plural South Asians
1
: a native or inhabitant of South Asia
2
: a person of South Asian descent

Examples of South Asian in a Sentence

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Adjective
Many of the major scandals were also centered on nonwhite writers; Nazir is of South Asian descent, while Ballard, Wolfe, Falade, Kundizeza and Orélien are Black. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 Apu is being revived amid a climate of rising anti-South Asian and Indian hate. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 The United Kingdom’s global network of ports and steamships, built to export imperial goods, could just as easily carry superior American or German manufactures or cheaper Caribbean and South Asian labor. — Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026 Founded in New Delhi in 2021 by designer Kartik Kumra and hinged on South Asian references and an artisanal approach, the menswear brand was among the semifinalists of the 2023 and 2026 LVMH Prize for Young Designers. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for South Asian

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1821, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of South Asian was in 1821

Rhymes for South Asian

See All Rhymes for South Asian

Browse Nearby Words

South Asia
South Asian
South Australia
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“South Asian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/South%20Asian. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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