Pacific Islander

noun

plural Pacific Islanders
: a native or a descendant of a native of one of the islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, or Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean

Examples of Pacific Islander in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Harris lost seven points compared to Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) support for Biden in 2020. Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024 The film has already toured the festival circuit, making stops at the Houston Asian American Pacific Islander (HAAPI) Film Festival and the Asian Film Festival Barcelona among others. Patrick Frater, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024 Hoang Nguyen, who chairs the Asian Pacific Islander caucus of the California Young Democrats, also has been tracking the Eastside contests. David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024 But the reality is that union members—who consistently vote at levels above the general population—and the wider working class are also Black, Latina, and Asian Pacific Islander women who make up the majority of our care workforce. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Pacific Islander 

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Pacific Islander was in 1785

Dictionary Entries Near Pacific Islander

Cite this Entry

“Pacific Islander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pacific%20Islander. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

Pacific Islander

noun
: a native or a descendant of a native of Melanesia, Micronesia, or Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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