Kirghiz

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the Turkic ethnic group native to Kyrgyzstan and surrounding areas; pertaining to their language, culture, or traditions
2. Associated with the people known for their nomadic heritage in Central Asia, specifically from the region now called Kyrgyzstan; describing their linguistic and cultural attributes
3. Connected to the inhabitants of the mountainous region in Central Asia identified as Kyrgyzstan; referring to their ethnic identity, spoken language, and cultural practices

Etymology: The name is the Russian form of a people's name, and the people themselves were long known by a different one. Russian "кирги́з" (kirgíz) was used for the group now called Kyrgyz, and English borrowed the Russian term, which is why "Kirghiz" looks and sounds more Russian than the modern spelling "Kyrgyz" that the people and their country now use. Older English sources used "Kirghiz" for the people and their language, while "Kyrgyz" has become the standard form since Kyrgyzstan became an independent state in 1991. The word's Russian ancestor is the older name the Russians applied to these Turkic-speaking peoples of the Central Asian steppe and mountains. Because English took the word from Russian rather than from the people's own language, the spelling and pronunciation carry the imprint of Russian usage, not of the Kyrgyz themselves. As an adjective, "Kirghiz" describes things belonging to this people, such as their language, traditions, or music.

Synonyms: Kyrgyz, Kirgiz