Pacific Islander

[puh-sif-ik ahy-luhn-der]

noun

1. a member or descendant of the Indigenous people of the Pacific Islands.

2. (loosely) a native or inhabitant of the Pacific islands.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Pacific Islander¹

First recorded in 1795–1800

Example Sentences

As the chief clinical officer of Richmond Area Multi-Services, one of the country’s first agencies addressing Asian American and Pacific Islander communities’ needs for culturally competent services, Christina Shea has observed the value of involving family members in a person’s care.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The L.A. diaspora is relatively small compared with other Asian American and Pacific Islander communities living in the county.

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Thai people are coded under broader categories like “Other Asian/Pacific Islander” in census surveys and are harder to track in county and state data systems.

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“I will appoint a cabinet of exceptional leaders whose lived experiences reflect the diversity of Seattle’s Black, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latinx/Hispanic, and People of Color communities as well as that of women, immigrants and refugees, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, people with disabilities, people of all faith traditions, and residents from every socioeconomic background.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Prosecutors said the company had a 20% partner who’s a Pacific Islander, and the men pretended he’d attained majority ownership and managerial control.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal