aboriginal

1 of 2

adjective

ab·​orig·​i·​nal ˌa-bə-ˈrij-nəl 

-ˈri-jə-nᵊl

1

: being the first or earliest known of its kind present in a region

aboriginal forests

aboriginal rocks

2

: of or relating to the people who have been in a region from the earliest time : of or relating to aborigines

aboriginal languages

aboriginal tribes/customs/art

specifically, often capitalized : of or relating to the indigenous peoples of Australia

aboriginally adverb

aboriginal

2 of 2

noun

1

: aborigine sense 1

2

often capitalized : aborigine sense 2

Synonyms

Adjective

• autochthonous
• born
• domestic
• endemic
• indigenous
• native

Noun

• aborigine
• autochthon
• indigene
• indigen
• native

Choose the Right Synonym for aboriginal

native, indigenous, endemic, aboriginal mean belonging to a locality.

native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it.

native tribal customs

indigenous applies to that which is not only native but which, as far as can be determined, has never been introduced or brought from elsewhere.

indigenous plants

endemic implies being peculiar to a region.

a disease endemic in Africa

aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region.

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

Examples of aboriginal in a Sentence

Adjective

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

the aboriginal peoples of northern Alaska are known as Inupiats, which in their language literally means “real people”

Noun

they still speak the language of the region's aboriginals

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Archaeological Planet is a museum dedicated to the history of Puerto Rico’s native aboriginal population, which includes thousands of artifacts that will transport you back in time. —Zayda Rivera, Parents, 19 Sep. 2024

Discussing the impact of the Little Ice Age in Australia, Parker likens the adaptive behavior of seventeenth-century aboriginal people to the resilience of their continent’s plants and animals. —Deborah R. Coen, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2014

Noun

Those clauses were removed in the 1960s, leaving no mention of aboriginals at all. —The Economist, 5 July 2018

These people are too far away to show a direct link between them and the Clovis in such a way that indicates the Clovis being the aboriginals of South America. —Adam Rutherford, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

aborigine + -al entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of aboriginal entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

aboriginal

adjective

ab·​orig·​i·​nal

ˌab-ə-ˈrij-nəl,

-ən-ᵊl

1

: being the first of its kind in a region : indigenous

2

: of, relating to, or being aborigines

aboriginally

-ē

adverb