AFGHAN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Afghan mean? 

• AFGHAN (noun)
  The noun AFGHAN has 5 senses:

1. a blanket knitted or crocheted in strips or squares; sometimes used as a shawl

2. a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan

3. an Iranian language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan; the official language of Afghanistan

4. a coat made of sheepskin

5. tall graceful breed of hound with a long silky coat; native to the Near East

  Familiarity information: AFGHAN used as a noun is common.

• AFGHAN (adjective)
  The adjective AFGHAN has 1 sense:

1. of or relating to or characteristic of Afghanistan or its people

  Familiarity information: AFGHAN used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• AFGHAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A blanket knitted or crocheted in strips or squares; sometimes used as a shawl

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("afghan" is a kind of...):

blanket; cover (bedding that keeps a person warm in bed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A native or inhabitant of Afghanistan

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Afghan; Afghanistani

Hypernyms ("Afghan" is a kind of...):

Asian; Asiatic (a native or inhabitant of Asia)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "Afghan"):

Kafir (a member of the Kafir people in northeastern Afghanistan)

Pashtoon; Pashtun; Pathan; Pushtun (a member of the mountain people living in the eastern regions of Afghanistan)

Holonyms ("Afghan" is a member of...):

Afghanistan; Islamic State of Afghanistan (a mountainous landlocked country in central Asia; bordered by Iran to the west and Russia to the north and Pakistan to the east and south)

Derivation:

Afghan (of or relating to or characteristic of Afghanistan or its people)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An Iranian language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan; the official language of Afghanistan

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

Afghan; Afghani; Pashto; Pashtu; Paxto

Hypernyms ("Afghan" is a kind of...):

Iranian; Iranian language (the modern Persian language spoken in Iran)

Domain member category:

Jirga (a Pashto term for a decision making assembly of male elders)

Derivation:

Afghan (of or relating to or characteristic of Afghanistan or its people)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A coat made of sheepskin

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

afghan; sheepskin coat

Hypernyms ("afghan" is a kind of...):

coat (an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Tall graceful breed of hound with a long silky coat; native to the Near East

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

Afghan; Afghan hound

Hypernyms ("Afghan" is a kind of...):

hound; hound dog (any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears)

• AFGHAN (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to or characteristic of Afghanistan or its people

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

Afghan; Afghani; Afghanistani

Pertainym:

Afghanistan (a mountainous landlocked country in central Asia; bordered by Iran to the west and Russia to the north and Pakistan to the east and south)

Derivation:

Afghan (an Iranian language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan; the official language of Afghanistan)

Afghan (a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan)

Afghanistan (a mountainous landlocked country in central Asia; bordered by Iran to the west and Russia to the north and Pakistan to the east and south)

 Context examples 

The Afghan Hound is a sight hound that is tall and slender with a long, narrow, refined head; and powerful jaws.

(Afghan Hound, NCI Thesaurus)

The Hound Group encompasses a diverse lot. There are Pharaoh Hounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Afghans and Beagles, among others.

(Hound Breed, NCI Thesaurus)

The hill-folk up there murdered the rebels who had me, and I became their slave for a time until I escaped; but instead of going south I had to go north, until I found myself among the Afghans.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He handed over the book, and I read, Moran, Sebastian, Colonel. Unemployed. Formerly 1st Bangalore Pioneers. Born London, 1840. Son of Sir Augustus Moran, C.B., once British Minister to Persia. Educated Eton and Oxford. Served in Jowaki Campaign, Afghan Campaign, Charasiab (despatches), Sherpur, and Cabul. Author of Heavy Game of the Western Himalayas (1881); Three Months in the Jungle (1884). Address: Conduit Street. Clubs: The Anglo-Indian, the Tankerville, the Bagatelle Card Club.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She also fancied, having set her heart upon seeing it, that she saw a certain increase of gentleness in Laurie's manner, that he dropped his voice now and then, laughed less than usual, was a little absent-minded, and settled the afghan over Beth's feet with an assiduity that was really almost tender.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I had remained indoors all day, for the weather had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and the jezail bullet which I had brought back in one of my limbs as a relic of my Afghan campaign throbbed with dull persistence.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Out in the garden stood a stately snow maiden, crowned with holly, bearing a basket of fruit and flowers in one hand, a great roll of music in the other, a perfect rainbow of an Afghan round her chilly shoulders, and a Christmas carol issuing from her lips on a pink paper streamer.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)