adjective
noun
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a native or inhabitant of Bali
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the language of the people of Bali, belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family
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See Balinese cat
Usage
Balinese is used as a plural noun (a candidate favored by the Balinese ), but it's relatively rare as a singular noun (the candidate who is a Balinese ).
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Balinese
First recorded in 1810–20; from Dutch Balinees, equivalent to Bali Bali + -n- connective + -ees -ese
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was arrested in March after the video sparked widespread anger among Balinese on social media.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
“Inspired by Balinese architecture and thoughtfully reimagined through a distinctly Californian lens, the residence celebrates natural materials, soaring timber ceilings, expansive walls of glass, and raw, textured stone,” the listing description notes.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
The team, which comprised musicologists, psychologists, linguists, evolutionary biologists and professional musicians, recorded songs in 55 languages, including Arabic, Balinese, Basque, Cherokee, Maori, Ukrainian and Yoruba.
From New York Times ● May 15, 2024
Still, I didn’t even learn the two most important words in Balinese — please and thank you.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 10, 2023
The average American, for example, can distinguish easily between the verses and refrain of any pop song, but will have trouble recognizing what is going on in a piece of music for Balinese gamelan.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.