persian
persian Lexical Profile
• adjective
Of or relating to ancient or modern Persia (Iran), its people, language, or culture.
"The museum hosted an extensive exhibition of ancient Persian carpets and pottery."
Belonging to a breed of domestic cat characterized by a round face, short muzzle, and long hair.
"She adopted a beautiful Persian kitten from the local rescue shelter."
• noun
A native or inhabitant of ancient or modern Persia (Iran), or a person of Persian descent.
"The Persians established one of the largest and most powerful empires of the ancient world."
The Indo-Iranian language spoken predominantly in Iran, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan.
"He decided to study Persian to read the original poetry of Rumi and Hafez."
A recognized breed of domestic cat characterized by its round face, short muzzle, and long hair.
"Her beloved Persian spent most of the afternoon sleeping on the velvet armchair."
Word Nuance & Usage
While often used interchangeably with 'Iranian' to describe modern nationality, 'Persian' specifically refers to the predominant ethno-linguistic group of Iran and the historical empire.
• Rhymes for persian
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin 'Persianus', derived from 'Persia', which traces back to the Ancient Greek 'Persis' and the Old Persian 'Pārsa' (referring to the region of Fars).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.