ENGLISH
REFERENCE

aboriginal

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˌæbɝˈɪdʒənəɫ// UK //ˌæbəɹˈɪdʒɪnəl// abo·rig·i·nal

adj. describing the people who have lived in a country from the very beginning, before others arrived. It is most often used to talk about the first people of Australia.

adj. relating to the indigenous inhabitants of a country or region from the earliest known times. When referring specifically to the indigenous peoples of Australia, it is conventionally capitalised.


SIMPLE

The museum features a collection of Aboriginal art.

CONTEXTUAL

Researchers are studying aboriginal plant names to understand how the landscape was managed before colonial arrival.

COMPLEX

The legal recognition of aboriginal title to the land marked a significant shift in the country's judicial approach to indigenous rights and historical sovereignty.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From aborigine + -al, aborigine being from Latin ab origine (“from the beginning”).

Usage

Often capitalised (Aboriginal) when referring specifically to Australian indigenous peoples; used in lowercase for the general sense of 'indigenous'.

Pitfall

the aboriginalsAboriginal peopleUsing the word as a plural noun can be seen as offensive or reductive; it is more respectful to use it as an adjective followed by 'people' or 'peoples'.

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