Melanesian

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

/ ˌmɛl əˈni ʒən, -ʃən /

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adjective

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

noun

a member of any of the Indigenous peoples inhabiting Melanesia.

the Austronesian languages of Melanesia, taken collectively.

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Origin of Melanesian

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

For instance, Denisovan DNA accounts for about 2 to 4 percent of Melanesian people’s genome.
Fossils and ancient DNA paint a vibrant picture of human origins|Erin Wayman|September 15, 2021|Science News
In the Melanesian myth, dawn is cut out of the body of night by Qat, armed with a knife of red obsidian.
Myth, Ritual, and Religion, Vol. 1|Andrew Lang
Only three Melanesian words in the list appear to have been adopted by the Papuans.
The Mafulu|Robert W. Williamson
They are believed to have Papuan or Papuo-Melanesian blood in their veins.
The Mafulu|Robert W. Williamson

Separate groups of buildings, which once were filled with lads from different Melanesian isles—farm buildings, barns, &c.
Life of John Coleridge Patteson|Charlotte M. Yonge
Finally, retaining only the north part of the northern island, to take the Melanesian Bishopric.
Life of John Coleridge Patteson|Charlotte M. Yonge

Melanesian

/ (ˌmɛləˈniːzɪən) /

adjective

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

noun

a native or inhabitant of Melanesia: generally Negroid with frizzy hair and small stature

a group or branch of languages spoken in Melanesia, belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family