aborigine

English

Etymology

Back-formation from aborigines.

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌæb.əˈɹɪdʒ.ɪ.ni/
  • (file)

Noun

aborigine (countable and uncountable, plural aborigines)

  1. A native inhabitant of a country; a member of the original people. [First attested in the early 19th century.][1]
  2. (in the plural) The native flora and fauna of an area. [First attested in the late 17th century.][1]

Translations

Usage notes

  • Should be capitalized in Australian contexts.
  • Fowler's 3rd edition considers this singular to be "etymologically indefensible" notwithstanding its having become the established form in Australia since 1829. This is in reference to its inflection from 'Aborigines', not actually originally an S-addition pluralization (see Aborigine/Aborigines/Aboriginal entries in Oxford Dictionary).

References

  1. “aborigine” in Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief; William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors, The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 2002, →ISBN, page 6.

Anagrams


Finnish

Noun

aborigine

  1. Aborigine (aboriginal Australian)

Declension

See also


Latin

Noun

aborigine

  1. ablative singular of aborigō
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