Khmer Rouge

/ˈkmɛəɹ ˈɹuːʒ//kəˈmɛəɹ ˈɹuːʒ/

proper noun

A Cambodian communist guerrilla force active from the 1970s to the 1990s under the leadership of Pol Pot.

Meanings

proper noun
  1. historicalA Cambodian communist guerrilla force active from the 1970s to the 1990s under the leadership of Pol Pot.

Origin

  1. FrenchKhmer rouge“red Khmer”
  2. EnglishKhmer Rouge

Unadapted borrowing from French Khmer rouge (“red Khmer”), from Khmer (“Khmer”) + rouge (“red”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic الْخَمِير الْحُمْر
  • الْخَمِير الْحُمْر (al-ḵamīr al-ḥumr)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Bulgarian черве́ни кхме́ри
  • черве́ни кхме́ри (červéni khméri)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Chinese Mandarin 紅色高棉 /红色高棉, 赤柬
  • 紅色高棉 /红色高棉 (Hóngsè gāomián)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
  • 赤柬 (Chì Jiǎn)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Czech Rudí Khmerové
  • Rudí KhmerovéCambodian communist guerrilla force
Dutch Rode Khmer
  • Rode KhmerCambodian communist guerrilla force
Esperanto Ruĝaj Kmeroj
  • Ruĝaj KmerojCambodian communist guerrilla force
Finnish punaiset khmerit
  • punaiset khmeritCambodian communist guerrilla force
French Khmers rouges
  • Khmers rougesCambodian communist guerrilla force
German Rote Khmer
  • Rote KhmerCambodian communist guerrilla force
Greek Ερυθροί Χμερ
  • Ερυθροί Χμερ (Erythroí Chmer)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Hindi ख्मेर रूज
  • ख्मेर रूज (khmer rūj)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Hungarian Vörös Khmer
  • Vörös KhmerCambodian communist guerrilla force
Icelandic Rauðu khmerarnir
  • Rauðu khmerarnirCambodian communist guerrilla force
Indonesian Khmer Merah
  • Khmer MerahCambodian communist guerrilla force
Italian Khmer rossi
  • Khmer rossiCambodian communist guerrilla force
Japanese クメール・ルージュ
  • クメール・ルージュ (Kumēru-rūju)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Korean 크메르 루주
  • 크메르 루주 (Keumereu ruju)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Persian خمرهای سرخ
  • خمرهای سرخ (xamer-hâ-ye sorx)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Polish Czerwoni Khmerzy
  • Czerwoni KhmerzyCambodian communist guerrilla force
Portuguese Quemer Vermelho, Khmer Vermelho
  • Quemer VermelhoCambodian communist guerrilla force
  • Khmer VermelhoCambodian communist guerrilla force
Russian кра́сные кхме́ры
  • кра́сные кхме́ры (krásnyje kxméry)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Slovak Červení Kméri
  • Červení KmériCambodian communist guerrilla force
Spanish Jemeres rojos
  • Jemeres rojosCambodian communist guerrilla force
Swedish röda khmererna
  • röda khmerernaCambodian communist guerrilla force
Thai เขมรแดง
  • เขมรแดง (kà-měen-dɛɛng)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Turkish Kızıl Kmerler
  • Kızıl KmerlerCambodian communist guerrilla force
Ukrainian черво́ні кхме́ри
  • черво́ні кхме́ри (červóni kxméry)Cambodian communist guerrilla force
Vietnamese Khơ-me Đỏ
  • Khơ-me ĐỏCambodian communist guerrilla force
Cite this entry
APA

Khmer Rouge. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Khmer%20Rouge

MLA

“Khmer Rouge.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Khmer%20Rouge. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Khmer Rouge,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Khmer%20Rouge.

Source: Khmer Rouge on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.