Afghan

noun

Af·​ghan ˈaf-ˌgan How to pronounce Afghan (audio)
 also  -gən
1
a(1)
(2)
: pashto
b
: a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan
2
not capitalized : a blanket or shawl of colored yarn knitted or crocheted in strips or squares
3
not capitalized : a Turkoman carpet of large size and long pile woven in geometric designs
4
Afghan adjective
or Afghani
af-ˈga-nē How to pronounce Afghan (audio)
-ˈgä-

Examples of Afghan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Despite strong historic ties with the Afghan Taliban, Islamabad has recently fallen out with Kabul over cross-border terrorist attacks and Pakistan’s expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees, many of whom have lived inside the country for decades. TIME, 9 Feb. 2024 And the measure incorporates a version of the Afghan Adjustment Act, which creates a pathway to citizenship for Afghans who fled to the United States after the Taliban takeover. Karoun Demirjian, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2024 Mavis Leno was a longtime board member of the nonprofit Feminist Majority Foundation, a national women's rights organization, and the chair of the group's Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls. Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2024 But the Afghan Taliban are no longer an insurgent group dependent on Pakistani safe havens and Islamabad’s goodwill. Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 9 Jan. 2024 Pakistan’s leadership blames the Afghan Taliban for harboring militants who have staged a mounting number of deadly attacks in Pakistan in recent months. Rick Noack, Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2023 In the Vietnam war, Afghan Pathans would have been ideal troops but in wars fought against Moslems would have betrayed us. Matt Schoenfeldt, National Review, 10 Dec. 2023 Unlike the Afghan Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, has shown no hesitation in claiming responsibility for attacks targeting vaccination efforts over the past decade. Rick Noack, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2023 But officials tore up a photocopy of Mr. Gul’s Afghan Citizen Card, a document issued by the Pakistani government allowing Afghan refugees to stay legally, the family said. Zia Ur-Rehman, New York Times, 23 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Afghan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Persian afghān "Pashtun"

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of Afghan was in 1742

Dictionary Entries Near Afghan

Cite this Entry

“Afghan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Afghan. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Afghan

noun
Af·​ghan ˈaf-ˌgan How to pronounce Afghan (audio)
1
: a person born or living in Afghanistan
2
not capitalized : a blanket or shawl made of knitted or crocheted colored wool
Afghan adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Afghan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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