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.
The exodus of refugees that followed gave birth to the Little Saigon community that has since flourished in Orange County — now home to the largest community of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. Heather McRea, Oc Register, 1 May 2026 Vietnamese, Mexican, West African, and Central American communities brought their culinary traditions and adapted them to Texas ingredients. Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026 Generally, these tax clinics also offer services in other languages such as Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 And the North Vietnamese were taking no prisoners. Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026 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 7 May. 2026.

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
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