Kurds

Cultural

A linguistically and culturally distinct people who inhabit parts of Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and the former Soviet Union. Once part of the Ottoman Empire, they long have sought an independent nation-state, but without success. After his defeat in the Persian Gulf War, Saddam Hussein brutally repressed rebellious Kurds in northern Iraq.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"There is a spectrum of opponents in Iran who could take action in the future," Kian said, also pointing to the emergence of demands from ethnic minorities such as the Kurds and Baluchis.

From Barron's

In Iran, "the Kurds have been at the forefront of the struggle for democracy and freedom. When one leads people, one must pay a price—we have paid in blood," Haftan said.

From Barron's

The Kurds had repeatedly urged countries to take back their citizens but most only repatriated a trickle, fearing security threats and a domestic political backlash.

From Barron's

Now her all-woman fighting unit is at risk after a deal with Damascus ended the Kurds' de facto autonomy.

From Barron's

Many Kurds, Azeris and other ethnic minorities—who make up close to half of Iran’s population—distrust Pahlavi because of his father’s focus on centralized control.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023