Korean

American  

[kuh-ree-uhn, kaw-, koh-] / kəˈri ən, kɔ-, koʊ- /

adjective

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

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of South Korea or North Korea.

2. the language of South Korea or North Korea. Kor

korean British  

/ kəˈriːən /

adjective

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

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Korea

2. the official language of North and South Korea, considered by some scholars to be part of the Altaic family of languages

Etymology

Origin of Korean

First recorded in 1605–15; Kore(a) + -an

Compare meaning

How does korean compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Korean vs. Vietnam War

Example Sentences

South Korean authorities are seeking to extract Song from Cambodia, according to local reports.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

They expect Korean Air’s operating profit to reach 906 billion won in 2026, 44% below their previous estimate and down 19% from a year earlier.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

“Our future will be at serious risk if we continue to rely on fossil fuels,” said South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

But if the cease-fire holds, investors can focus again on the drivers that were egging equities higher before the war, such as the AI buildout and demand for Korean memory chips, Denyer writes.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

“So you wanted to come here because of the South Korean government.”

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh