Eurasian

(yo͝o-rāˈzhən)

adjective

1. Of or relating to Eurasia.
2. Of mixed European and Asian descent.

noun

1. A person of mixed European and Asian descent.
2. A native or inhabitant of Eurasia.

Usage Note: Eurasian has been in use since the mid-19th century to refer to a person of mixed European and Asian birth. It was coined during the British rule over India and was long used primarily in designating a person born to a British father and an Indian mother. In a contemporary context Eurasian has a much wider application, denoting only that one parent is Asian and the other white—that is, either European or of European descent. • The geographic sense of Eurasian is quite distinct, referring to the extended landmass of Europe and Asia and especially to the large indeterminate region where the two continents join. Peoples indigenous to this region can also be termed Eurasian, creating a potential ambiguity when referring to an individual as opposed to a group or culture. If the ambiguity is not resolved by context, it may be necessary to use a phrase such as a member of a Eurasian people or a person of European and Asian parentage for clarity. See Usage Note at Amerasian.