Tongan

American  

[tong-guhn] / ˈtɒŋ gən /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Tonga.

2. a Polynesian language, the language of the Tongans.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Tonga, its people, or their language.

tongan British  

/ ˈtɒŋən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the kingdom of Tonga, its inhabitants, or their language

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noun

1. a member of the people that inhabits Tonga

2. the language of this people, belonging to the Polynesian family

Etymology

Origin of Tongan

First recorded in 1890–95; Tong(a) + -an

Example Sentences

The Seahawks team also boasts several players of Polynesian descent including backup running back George Holani, who was born in New Zealand to Tongan parents but moved to the United States as a young child.

From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026

The ritual dances performed by the Tongan court women, known as Fefine Girls, evoke the shape and mood of famous tales.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

It is the first game of its kind, a celebration of First Nations, Samoan, Tongan, Fijian and Cook Island culture.

From BBC • Jul. 21, 2025

Kilifi, of Samoan and Tongan descent, said he comes from a rugby family and he grew up in the game.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2024

In particular, the Tongan Archipelago lies close enough to the Fijian, Samoan, and Wallis Archipelagoes to have permitted regular voyaging between archipelagoes, and eventually to permit Tongans to undertake the conquest of Fiji.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond