Melanesian

[ mel-uh-nee-zhuhn, -shuhn ]

adjective

1. of or relating to Melanesia, its inhabitants, or their languages.

noun

1. a member of any of the Indigenous peoples inhabiting Melanesia.
2. the Austronesian languages of Melanesia, taken collectively.

Melanesian

/ ˌmɛləˈniːzɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Melanesia, its people, or their languages

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Melanesia: generally Negroid with frizzy hair and small stature
2. a group or branch of languages spoken in Melanesia, belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family
3. See also Neo-Melanesian

Word History and Origins

Origin of Melanesian¹

First recorded in 1840–50; Melanesi(a) + -an

Example Sentences

For instance, Denisovan DNA accounts for about 2 to 4 percent of Melanesian people’s genome.

From Science News

In the Melanesian myth, dawn is cut out of the body of night by Qat, armed with a knife of red obsidian.

From Project Gutenberg

Only three Melanesian words in the list appear to have been adopted by the Papuans.

From Project Gutenberg

They are believed to have Papuan or Papuo-Melanesian blood in their veins.

From Project Gutenberg

Separate groups of buildings, which once were filled with lads from different Melanesian isles—farm buildings, barns, &c.

From Project Gutenberg

Finally, retaining only the north part of the northern island, to take the Melanesian Bishopric.

From Project Gutenberg