Okinawan

American  

[oh-kuh-nah-wuhn, oh-kuh-nau-uhn] / ˌoʊ kəˈnɑ wən, ˌoʊ kəˈnaʊ ən /

noun

plural

Okinawans

1. a person from Okinawa.

2. a Ryukyuan language, spoken primarily in the southern Okinawa islands.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Okinawa, its people, or their languages.

Example Sentences

Nearby, I pulled into King Tacos to sample a peculiar hybrid cuisine born out of the long intermingling of American, Japanese and Okinawan culinary traditions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025

A public opinion poll conducted last year revealed that 70% of Okinawan residents feel the concentration of US bases there is "unfair".

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2024

The Mediterranean and Okinawan diets have consistently been shown to contribute to better health, including lower rates of obesity and other metabolic diseases.

From Salon • Aug. 24, 2023

During a recent visit with Jennifer, my mom decided to try making sata andagi, an Okinawan doughnut grandma Tomoyo used to make when she was young.

From Seattle Times • May 14, 2023

Eighty thousand Okinawan civilians also died in the battles.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac