montagnard

noun

mon·​ta·​gnard ˌmōⁿ-ˌtän-ˈyär(d) 

often capitalized

: a member of any of various peoples inhabiting the highlands of central and southern Vietnam

montagnard adjective often capitalized

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "inhabitant of the mountains," going back to Middle French, from montaigne mountain + -ard -ard

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above