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
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Democratic nominee for governor, was in Alpharetta this week to get out the vote from the area’s large South Asian community. — Patricia Murphy, AJC.com, 29 Oct. 2026 In September, South Asian students at the University of Texas celebrated a Longhorns football victory. — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 French made an online post in September targeting University of Texas students of South Asian descent and conducted an online poll in June 2025 asking whether Jews or Muslims were a bigger threat to America. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026 Looking ahead, as South Asian fashion is experiencing a renaissance in the West, Chopra sees that more brands will show up at household luxury multibrand retailers. — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 27 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 31 Oct. 2026.

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