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
Visitors come chiefly from the U.S., Central Europe, and the Persian Gulf, which differs from the rest of the country, where the majority of tourists are from China, Malaysia, and India.
—
Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
Specs Vintage Persian Heriz Runner $3,600 1stDibs And the winner for longest runner—and the only one that can actually run the length of my insane hallway—goes to this 1950s Persian Heriz style.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2025
Throughout the second and third millennia BC, Indus merchants traded with people across the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, their ships bringing copper ingots, pearls, spices and ivory.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
In July 1988, a U.S. warship shot down an Iranian airliner, Iran Air 655, over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 people on board.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Persian
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Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
Specs Vintage Persian Heriz Runner $3,600 1stDibs And the winner for longest runner—and the only one that can actually run the length of my insane hallway—goes to this 1950s Persian Heriz style.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2025
Throughout the second and third millennia BC, Indus merchants traded with people across the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, their ships bringing copper ingots, pearls, spices and ivory.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
In July 1988, a U.S. warship shot down an Iranian airliner, Iran Air 655, over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 people on board.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Persian
Cite this Entry
“Persian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Persian. Accessed 12 Mar. 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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