Melanesian

American  

[mel-uh-nee-zhuhn, -shuhn] / ˌmɛl əˈni ʒən, -ʃən /

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 British  

/ 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

Etymology

Origin of Melanesian

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

Example Sentences

The indigenous Papuans, who are Melanesian, are now thought to be outnumbered by settlers from other parts of the archipelago.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2023

In Melanesian culture, a wide-eyed gasping face is a symbol of aggression, not fear.

From Scientific American • Apr. 27, 2022

George Hoa’au, the acting director-general of the Melanesian group, said the French were "not good at anti-colonisation."

From Reuters • Dec. 10, 2021

Wale and other lawmakers spoke at length, using a mixture of English, the official language, and the commonly spoken Melanesian pidgin.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2021

The Papuan languages are entirely distinct from the Melanesian.

From Man, Past and Present by Haddon, Alfred Court