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
Samir's flight out of Kabul landed in Qatar, the Persian Gulf kingdom where all evacuees were taken into U.S. government custody.
—
Jazzmin Jiwa, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
More muscular policing by NATO in the Baltic might encourage more assertive Chinese naval activity in the South China Sea, for example, or encourage more Iranian interdictions in the Persian Gulf.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2025
For decades, Syria was Iran’s closest Arab ally in the Middle East while the wealthy Persian Gulf monarchies were locked in a competition with Tehran for power and influence across the region.
—Ismaeel Naar, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Western intelligence agencies were shocked by the invasion and American policymakers worried that the Soviet Union might be angling to control the Persian Gulf and its oil, through Iran or Saudi Arabia.
—Benjamin V. Allison / Made By History, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024
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Jazzmin Jiwa, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
More muscular policing by NATO in the Baltic might encourage more assertive Chinese naval activity in the South China Sea, for example, or encourage more Iranian interdictions in the Persian Gulf.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2025
For decades, Syria was Iran’s closest Arab ally in the Middle East while the wealthy Persian Gulf monarchies were locked in a competition with Tehran for power and influence across the region.
—Ismaeel Naar, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Western intelligence agencies were shocked by the invasion and American policymakers worried that the Soviet Union might be angling to control the Persian Gulf and its oil, through Iran or Saudi Arabia.
—Benjamin V. Allison / Made By History, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for Persian
Dictionary Entries Near Persian
Cite this Entry
“Persian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Persian. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
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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