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

• aboriginality noun
• aboriginally adverb

Etymology

Origin of aboriginal

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

Example Sentences

There are several ongoing aboriginal title claims in British Columbia, and the Cowichan decision could affect private-property owners in those regions as well.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025

Similar to the Coquille, the Karuk went decades without a reservation, even after the U.S. government took ownership of the tribe’s aboriginal hunting and fishing land in a forested swath of the Klamath River Basin.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2024

“The DNA study also provides the Blood Tribe/Kainai with a new line of evidence to help further treaty and aboriginal rights,” the study authors wrote to Science in a collaborative statement.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 3, 2024

Maps are a touchstone for Joanne Greenbaum and the aboriginal painters Jimmy and Angie Tchooga.

From New York Times • Aug. 3, 2023

At the opposite extreme, some aboriginal fishing groups of southeastern Australia devised elaborate technologies for managing fish populations, including the construction of canals, weirs, and standing traps.

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

Related Words

• earliest
• original