Afghan

[ af-gan, -guhn ]

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan.
2. afghan, a soft woolen blanket, crocheted or knitted, usually in a geometric pattern.
3. Also called Afghan hound. one of a breed of swift hunting hounds having a long, narrow head and a long, silky coat.
4. Literary. Pashto.

adjective

1. of Afghanistan or its people or language.

afghan

¹

/ -ɡən; ˈæfɡæn /

noun

1. a knitted or crocheted wool blanket or shawl, esp one with a geometric pattern
2. a sheepskin coat, often embroidered and having long fur trimming around the edges

Afghan

²

/ -ɡən; æfˈɡænɪ; ˈæfɡæn; -ˈɡɑː- /

noun

1. a native, citizen, or inhabitant of Afghanistan
2. another name for Pashto
3. history an Indian camel driver employed in the outback of Australia

adjective

1. denoting or relating to Afghanistan, its people, or their language

Usage Note

See afghani.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Afghan¹

First recorded in 1740–50; from Persian afghān “inhabitant of the Hindu Kush; a Pathan“

Word History and Origins

Origin of Afghan¹

from Afghanistan

Example Sentences

They waved to some Afghan army soldiers who were accompanying Lorance’s troops.

From Washington Post

The agency declined to comment on whether Afghan officials had a role in the decision.

From Washington Post

The post This Afghan Crusader Should Have Beaten Obama for the Nobel appeared first on OZY.

From Ozy

Yet she rose to become one of the most consequential Afghan activists of the century.

From Ozy

The Afghan peace activist was the truly deserving candidate for the peace prize in 2009, rather than a rookie President Barack Obama.

From Ozy

“The Afghan Taliban are widely considered as freedom fighters in Pakistan and such attacks would hurt them,” says Kakar.

From The Daily Beast

The ISI came to the CIA for assistance in fostering a revolt that had developed in the Afghan countryside against Communist rule.

From The Daily Beast

The machismo of Afghan male culture apparently coexists with a little-noted passion for gardening.

From The Daily Beast

That ruling was affirmed in a final judgment by the Afghan courts, which the Afghan Supreme Court confirmed in 2013.

From The Daily Beast

It took more than a dozen years for the Afghan and NATO forces to really understand each other, but all that will soon be history.

From The Daily Beast

The Afghan was true to his salt, and their own retainers, who had come with them from Lucknow, remained steadfast at this crisis.

From Project Gutenberg

She was, to be candid, knitting an afghan against an interesting event which involved a friend of hers.

From Project Gutenberg

Her last waking determination was to finish the afghan quickly and to knit for the men at the war.

From Project Gutenberg

Nothing pleases her so much as bright colors, so I want you to make her a gay afghan.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Howard's eyes followed lovingly her two pretty nieces as they danced away to join the group around the afghan.

From Project Gutenberg