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Glite Dictionary
🌴 From Papua 🧑🏾 A native person 🧑🏾 Person from Papua 🗣️ Indigenous languages
Papuan

Papuan

1 6.2
A person from Papua New Guinea or the island of New Guinea
  • noun
  • /ˈpæp.ju.ən/
: papuano
  • Many Papuans retain traditional ways of life deep in the highlands.

Examples

  • The Papuan was explaining local customs to the visiting researchers.

  • Many Papuans continue to practice traditional rituals and ceremonies in their communities.

  • She developed a deep respect for Papuan culture during her travels.

  • The Papuan culture is rich in traditions.

  • Many Papuan tribes have unique languages.

  • The Papuan who spoke at the conference shared insights about the island's biodiversity.

  • Visitors to Papua often learn about the diverse cultures of different Papuans across the region.

Synonyms

Oceanian
vsPapuan
4.6

A person who is from or lives in Oceania

is limited to residents of one specific island and its nation

Compounds

Papuan language
  • Specialized
9.9

A native language of Papua New Guinea, New Britain, or the Solomon Islands that is not Malayo-Polynesian

Surface Forms

Papuan singular
Papuan plural

Morphology

Papuan = Papua (transparent) = Papua + an

Formed by adding the productive adjectival/nationality suffix '-an' to the place name 'Papua', so the relation is clear to learners who know 'Papua'.

Etymology

Papuan comes from the island name Papua, which probably comes from a Malay word papuah meaning 'frizzy-haired' that early sailors used to describe the local people. So Papuan means a person 'from Papua' or of Papuan descent.