First Peoples

American  

[furst pee-puhlz] / ˈfɜrst ˈpi pəlz /

noun

1. all of the Indigenous peoples of North America, or sometimes of the Americas, collectively (often used attributively).

   Many of the First Peoples of America are struggling to preserve their native languages.

   First Peoples communities must be consulted before undertaking any development in the area.

2. First People any specific Indigenous ethnic or language group of North America or the Americas: in Canada, especially the Inuit or Métis.

   The Métis are a First People of Canada with Aboriginal rights entrenched in the Constitution.

   When the Navajo First People came to the present world, they did not realize that part of the time it would be very cold.

3. Often first peoples the Indigenous peoples of Australia and New Zealand collectively (often used attributively).

   The museum showcases the art of our first peoples.

   Forming a circle is a familiar First Peoples process for sharing in a group.

4. Often first people any of the Indigenous ethnic or language groups of Australia or New Zealand.

   In the creation story of the Maori First People of New Zealand, Aoraki is the eldest son of Raki, the Sky Father.

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First Peoples British  

plural noun

1. a collective term for the Native Canadian peoples, the Inuit, and the Métis

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Etymology

Origin of First Peoples

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Siban’gna was a village of the First Peoples in the region.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 19, 2025

Many, like Greg, believe removing or renaming them could be a natural starting point for the "truth-telling" the country needs, to reconcile with its First Peoples, the oldest living culture on the planet.

From BBC • Sep. 14, 2024

One analysis from researchers at First Peoples Worldwide at the University of Colorado at Boulder estimated that resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline drove the project cost upwards of $7.5 billion.

From Salon • Feb. 6, 2024

The burials weren't the only sign that Australia's First Peoples domesticated wild dingoes, however, with severely worn teeth found at the site suggesting a diet heavy in large bones, likely from scraps from human meals.

From Science Daily • Oct. 20, 2023

Unlike other nations with similar histories, such as Canada and New Zealand, Australia has not formally recognised or reached a treaty with its First Peoples.

From Reuters • Oct. 15, 2023