Assamese

[ as-uh-meez, -mees ]

adjective

1. of or relating to Assam, its inhabitants, or their language.

noun

, plural As·sa·mese.

1. a native or inhabitant of Assam.
2. an Indic language of Assam.

Assamese

/ ˌæsəˈmiːz /

noun

1. the state language of Assam, belonging to the Indic branch of the Indo-European family and closely related to Bengali
2. -mese a native or inhabitant of Assam

adjective

1. of or relating to Assam, its people, or their language

Word History and Origins

Origin of Assamese¹

First recorded in 1820–30; Assam + -ese

Example Sentences

The team has been studying the behavior of Assamese macaques at Phu Khieo for years amassing thousands of hours of detailed observations of their social behavior.

From Science Daily

Earlier this year, the government also approved the classification of five Muslim groups as "indigenous Assamese" communities, raising fears of further marginalisation of others.

From BBC

“The public response has been very good. They love live performances. We have no competition from television and the digital boom,” said Prastuti Parashar, a top Assamese actress who owns the Awahan Theater group.

From Seattle Times

Many of the local residents, who speak Assamese, have sometimes chafed under Indian rule, fueling a separatist movement.

From New York Times

The violent police action has deepened tensions between the state’s ethnic Assamese and Bengali-descent Muslims, who say they increasingly feel targeted by the government.

From Washington Post