Khmer

 
Pronunciation: /kmɛː/

noun (plural or Khmers)

  • 1an ancient kingdom in SE Asia which reached the peak of its power in the 11th century, when it ruled over the entire Mekong valley from the capital at Angkor. It was destroyed by Siamese conquests in the 12th and 14th centuries.
  • 2a native or inhabitant of the ancient Khmer kingdom.
  • 3a native or inhabitant of Cambodia.
  • 4 [mass noun] the language of the Khmer, belonging to the Mon-Khmer family. It is the official language of Cambodia, spoken by about 7 million people. Also called Cambodian.

adjective

  • relating to the Khmer or their language.

Origin:

the name in Khmer