aborigine
[ ab-uh-rij-uh-nee ]
/ ˌæb əˈrɪdʒ ə ni /
noun
one of the original or earliest known inhabitants of a country or region.
(initial capital letter) Also Aboriginal. Also called Australian Aborigine.
a member of the people who were the earliest inhabitants of Australia.
aborigines,
the original, native fauna or flora of a region.
Origin of aborigine
1540–50; by back formation from
aborigines < Latin
Aborīginēs the pre-Roman inhabitants of Italy, probably alteration of an earlier ethnonym by association with
ab origine
Words nearby aborigine
aborad,
aboral,
aboriginal,
aboriginalia,
aboriginality,
aborigine,
aborigines,
aborning,
abort,
aborted systole,
aborticide
Example sentences from the Web for aborigines
British Dictionary definitions for aborigines (1 of 2)
aborigine
/ (ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪnɪ) /
noun
an original inhabitant of a country or region who has been there from the earliest known times
Word Origin for aborigine
C16: back formation from
aborigines, from Latin: inhabitants of Latium in pre-Roman times, probably representing some tribal name but associated in folk etymology with
ab origine from the beginning
British Dictionary definitions for aborigines (2 of 2)
Aborigine
/ (ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪnɪ) /
noun
Also called: Aboriginal
a member of the indigenous people who were living in Australia when European settlers arrived
any of the languages of this people
See also Australian (def. 3)
Cultural definitions for aborigines
aborigines
[ (ab-uh-rij-uh-neez) ]
The earliest known inhabitants of a region. The term is most often associated with the native hunting and gathering population of Australia, who preceded the arrival of white settlers. (See hunting and gathering societies.)