noun
or kir·ghese or kir·ghis or kir·giz or khir·ghiz kirˈgēz, kiəˈ-
( plural kirghiz or kirghizes or kirghese or kirgheses or kirghis or kirghises or kirgiz or kirgizes or khirghiz or khirghizes )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Kirghiz Kyrghyz
1.
a. : a widespread people of Turkic speech and Mongolian race prob. with some Caucasian intermixture inhabiting chiefly the Central Asian steppes and related to the steppe-dwelling Kazak — see kara-kirghiz
b. : a member of the Kirghiz people
2. : the Turkic language of the Kirghiz