Vietnamese

noun

Viet·​nam·​ese vē-ˌet-nə-ˈmēz How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio)
ˌvyet-,
ˌvē-ət- How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio)
ˌvēt-,
-na-,
-nä-,
-ˈmēs How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio)
plural Vietnamese
1
: a native or inhabitant of Vietnam
2
: the language of the largest group in Vietnam and the official language of the country
Vietnamese adjective

Examples of Vietnamese in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Many of the activities take place at the shrine, with its 16-foot-tall statue of the Virgin Mary dressed in a traditional Vietnamese ao dai and holding the baby Jesus. Heather McRea, Oc Register, 13 July 2025 The Vietnamese agreed to let U.S. products into the country duty free while accepting a 20% tax on their exports to the United States, Trump said, though details of the agreement have not been released. Paul Wiseman, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025 The Vietnamese agreed to let U.S. products into the country duty-free while accepting a 20% tax on their exports to the United States, Trump said, though details of the agreement have not been released. Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025 And the higher-end establishments in Over-the-Rhine and Downtown give lovers of Spanish, Vietnamese and, more recently, Eastern European cuisine something to celebrate. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for Vietnamese

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Vietnamese was in 1947

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vietnamese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Vietnamese. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Vietnamese

noun
Viet·​nam·​ese vē-ˌet-nə-ˈmēz How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio) ˌvyet- How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio) ˌvē-ət- How to pronounce Vietnamese (audio)
ˌvēt-,
-na-,
-nä,
-ˈmēs
plural Vietnamese
1
: a person born or living in Vietnam
2
: the official language of Vietnam
Vietnamese adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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