Meaning & use
Ghanian
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivebefore a nounrare
A less common spelling of Ghanaian, meaning from or connected with the West African country of Ghana.
Grammar: Appears before a noun, as in Ghanian food, though the standard form is Ghanaian.
Patterns
- Ghanian culture
- Ghanian food
She cooked a Ghanian stew for the family.
The Ghanian team arrived at the airport this morning.
He studied Ghanian history at university.
nouncountablerare
A person from Ghana, in a nonstandard spelling of Ghanaian.
Grammar: Standard texts spell this Ghanaian, so use that spelling in formal writing.
Patterns
- a Ghanian from somewhere
My neighbor is a Ghanian who moved here in 2015.
Many Ghanians live in the city's northern districts.
Word forms
| plural | Ghanians |
|---|
Common combinations
- a Ghanian citizen
- As a Ghanian citizen, she votes at the embassy.
- Ghanian cuisine
- Ghanian cuisine features dishes such as jollof rice.
- Ghanian music
- Ghanian music mixes highlife with modern pop.
- Ghanian-born
- The Ghanian-born footballer scored twice.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Ghanaian
- Ghanaian is the standard, accepted spelling, while Ghanian is a common but nonstandard variant.
Word family
- Ghana proper noun
- the West African country
- Ghanaian adjective
- the standard word for relating to Ghana
- Ghanaians noun
- people from Ghana
Commonly confused: Ghanian or Ghanaian? Ghanian or Guinean?
Ghanian vs Ghanaian
Ghanaian is the correct spelling to use in formal and published writing, with an extra an after the n.
Ghanian vs Guinean
Guinean describes someone from Guinea, a different West African country.
Practice
Which spelling is standard for a person from Ghana?
Choose one answer.
Ghanaian is the standard spelling used in dictionaries and news. Ghanian appears online but is regarded as nonstandard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Ghanian”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.