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
Mitchell, who specialized in epigraphy, had found an inscription indicating that a local citizen, Domitius Samos, erected it to commemorate a Roman victory in the Persian Wars in A.D. 233.
—
Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
Travelers connecting through Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways now have the option of extending their layover and exploring the Persian Gulf city.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 13 May 2024
The sailor accumulated at least four years of sea time and worked on numerous ships in the Persian Gulf.
—Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 3 May 2024
The government’s media office would not disclose how many people remain behind bars in Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf.
—Vivian Nereim, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Civilian airports have been closed in Iran and flights from the Persian Gulf were diverted.
—USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Her vision encompasses welcoming and specialized care for Asian, Persian, Indian, Black, and Brown skin types.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
His family had Christmas trees and celebrated Easter but also marked Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
—Naghmeh Farzaneh, The New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2024
Opposition critics, including Iran International, seized upon the edited recordings and accused BBC Persian of collaborating with the Iranian government.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
Travelers connecting through Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways now have the option of extending their layover and exploring the Persian Gulf city.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 13 May 2024
The sailor accumulated at least four years of sea time and worked on numerous ships in the Persian Gulf.
—Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 3 May 2024
The government’s media office would not disclose how many people remain behind bars in Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf.
—Vivian Nereim, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Civilian airports have been closed in Iran and flights from the Persian Gulf were diverted.
—USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Her vision encompasses welcoming and specialized care for Asian, Persian, Indian, Black, and Brown skin types.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
His family had Christmas trees and celebrated Easter but also marked Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
—Naghmeh Farzaneh, The New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2024
Opposition critics, including Iran International, seized upon the edited recordings and accused BBC Persian of collaborating with the Iranian government.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 17 Apr. 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 28 May. 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
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