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
adjective
Examples of Persian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The vessel, known as a Magan boat, spans 59 feet (18 meters) in length and was assembled by a team of 20 specialists using techniques that date back to 2100 BC, when the Persian Gulf became part of global maritime trade across the ancient world.
—
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 12 July 2024
Nearing that limit, briefly In a 2020 study, researchers found that extremely humid heat had doubled in frequency since 1979 and that several parts of the world, including coastal India, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Mexico, had neared that wet-bulb threshold.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 July 2024
Our dining critic recommends Shahrazad, which serves up Persian and Middle Eastern cuisine, for a quick lunch.
—Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 9 July 2024
Critically, such a policy would make the Persian Gulf much less important to Washington.
—Andrew Byers, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2024
Better Homes & Gardens 5’ x 7’ Persian Faux Fur Indoor Area Rug
This faux fur Persian area rug has an impressive 4.9 rating at Walmart and more than 350 positive reviews.
—Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2024
But then there’s this: Iran sits on the Strait of Hormuz, the entry point into the Persian Gulf.
—Ben Wedeman, CNN, 27 June 2024
The huge incomes from these maritime connections would have been vital for supporting Rome’s territories and conquests across an empire that stretched from Hadrian’s Wall, at the border with Scotland, to the waters of the Persian Gulf.
—Jo Marchant, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
The Past Iran’s Persian Constitutional Revolution reveals the complicated relationship between Islam and democracy
The Persian Constitutional Revolution made unlikely allies and enemies of missionaries, ayatollahs, the shah, and his Russian ambassadors.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 12 July 2024
Nearing that limit, briefly In a 2020 study, researchers found that extremely humid heat had doubled in frequency since 1979 and that several parts of the world, including coastal India, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Mexico, had neared that wet-bulb threshold.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 July 2024
Our dining critic recommends Shahrazad, which serves up Persian and Middle Eastern cuisine, for a quick lunch.
—Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 9 July 2024
Critically, such a policy would make the Persian Gulf much less important to Washington.
—Andrew Byers, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2024
Better Homes & Gardens 5’ x 7’ Persian Faux Fur Indoor Area Rug
This faux fur Persian area rug has an impressive 4.9 rating at Walmart and more than 350 positive reviews.
—Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2024
But then there’s this: Iran sits on the Strait of Hormuz, the entry point into the Persian Gulf.
—Ben Wedeman, CNN, 27 June 2024
The huge incomes from these maritime connections would have been vital for supporting Rome’s territories and conquests across an empire that stretched from Hadrian’s Wall, at the border with Scotland, to the waters of the Persian Gulf.
—Jo Marchant, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
The Past Iran’s Persian Constitutional Revolution reveals the complicated relationship between Islam and democracy
The Persian Constitutional Revolution made unlikely allies and enemies of missionaries, ayatollahs, the shah, and his Russian ambassadors.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Persian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near Persian
Cite this Entry
“Persian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Persian. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Persian
noun
Per·sian
ˈpər-zhən 
1
: a native or inhabitant of ancient Persia or modern Iran
2
: the language of the Persians
Persian
adjective
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share