mongol
UK[ˈmɒŋɡəl]US[ˈmɑːŋɡəl]
n
A member of the group of peoples from Mongolia, especially the people of the Mongol Empire founded by Genghis Khan.
n
(dated, now offensive) A person affected with Down syndrome (from a former, now rejected, classification of the condition as "Mongolism").
Etymology
The term 'Mongol' entered European languages in the 13th century, directly from the name the people called themselves, recorded in Middle Mongolian as 'Mongγol'. The ultimate origin of this ethnonym is uncertain but is deeply rooted in the history and identity of the Central Asian steppe peoples. It gained widespread use in the West following the vast conquests of the Mongol Empire, which brought the name into contact with numerous languages. The later, offensive medical usage arose in the 19th century from a flawed and now-discredited racial theory comparing physical features, a usage that has been entirely abandoned in scientific and medical contexts.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. It originates from the name of the people, derived from the Mongolian word 'Mongγol'. Its functional role is as a proper noun used as an ethnonym.
Examples
The Mongol Empire was one of the largest contiguous land empires in history.
He has studied the military tactics of the Mongol khans extensively.
The use of the term in a medical context is considered archaic and highly offensive.