Melanesian

noun

Mel·​a·​ne·​sian ˌme-lə-ˈnē-zhən 

-shən

1

: a member of the dominant native group of Melanesia

2

: a language group consisting of the Austronesian languages of Melanesia

Melanesian adjective

Examples of Melanesian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Set in the warm waters of the southwest Pacific, some 1,500 km (930 miles) east of Australia, New Caledonia is home to 270,000 people, including 41% Melanesian Kanaks and 24% of European origin, mostly French. —Gabriel Stargardter, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Melanesian

noun

Mel·​a·​ne·​sian ˌmel-ə-ˈnē-zhən 

-shən

: a member of the most numerous Indigenous group of Melanesia

Melanesian adjective