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• aboriginal
  aboriginal

  adjective

  Sometimes Aboriginal. relating to or typical of the original or earliest known inhabitants of a region, or their descendants: aboriginal customs.
• Aboriginal
  Aboriginal

  adjective

  of, relating to, or characteristic of the indigenous peoples of Australia

aboriginal

American  

[ab-uh-rij-uh-nl] / ˌæb əˈrɪdʒ ə nl /

adjective

1. Sometimes Aboriginal. relating to or typical of the original or earliest known inhabitants of a region, or their descendants: aboriginal customs.

   the aboriginal people of Tahiti;

   aboriginal customs.

2. Aboriginal. relating to or being a member of any of the peoples who are the earliest known inhabitants of Australia, or one of their descendants.

   an Aboriginal tribe of Tasmania.

3. originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country; native; indigenous.

   aboriginal mammals of the Arctic.

   Synonyms:

   autochthonous, endemic

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noun

1. Sometimes Aboriginal Aborigine.

2. Often Offensive. Aboriginal. Aborigine.

Aboriginal ¹ British  

/ ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪnəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the indigenous peoples of Australia

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noun

1. another word for an Australian Aborigine

aboriginal ² British  

/ ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪnəl /

adjective

1. existing in a place from the earliest known period; indigenous; autochthonous

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Usage

See Aborigine.

The Australian government suggests that the most exact and inclusive way of referring to the indigenous peoples of Australia is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples . Other terms which are acceptable are: Aboriginal people(s) , Australian Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• aboriginality
  noun
• aboriginally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of aboriginal

First recorded in 1660–70; Aborigine + -al ¹

Explanation

The native, indigenous people of a country are often called aboriginals. In Canada, the First Nations — Inuits and Métis — would be considered aboriginals. The adjective form of aboriginal is used to describe anything related to the people native to an area. You may visit a museum that has an exhibit of aboriginal art; or, if you're a linguist, you may study aboriginal languages. The adjective can also be used to describe something that is indigenous to a place and existed there from the beginning, such as "an aboriginal forest" that consists of old, old trees.

Example Sentences

Aboriginal leaders say there needs to be a holistic approach that will help solve the deep social inequalities in the territory.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

An Aboriginal man was subsequently charged with murdering her.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

The award was far below the Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation's demand for more than Aus$800 million in compensation for economic losses and Aus$1 billion in cultural losses.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

The award was far below the Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation's demand for more than Aus$800 million in compensation for economic losses and Aus$1 billion in cultural losses.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

When my wife, Marie, and I were vacationing in Australia one summer, we decided to visit a site with well-preserved Aboriginal rock paintings in the desert near the town of Menindee.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• earliest
• original