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Glite Dictionary
Patagonian

Patagonian

1 6.4
A person or thing from the Patagonia region in southern South America
  • proper noun
  • /ˌpætəˈɡoʊniən/
translation icon : patagónico
  • They spend their summer breeding season on the Patagonian coastline of southern Argentina, where researchers put metal identity bands on the flippers of 50,000 birds to follow their progress.
  • Patagonian penguins

Examples

  • We spent our vacation exploring the breathtaking landscapes of Patagonian mountains and glaciers.

  • As a Patagonian, I also know that these people have so much money they'll do what they want anyway.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Two guys I met out on the Patagonian Trail at my gap year.

    How to Be (2008)

  • We're just soaking in our last few minutes of fresh Patagonian air on this island.

  • An interesting set of glaciers is the North and South Patagonian ice fields down in in the southern Andes.

  • Reproductive success of Patagonian (Magellanic) penguins at their largest breeding colony at Punta Tombo, Argentina.

    Academic text (2008)

  • As a proud Patagonian, she enjoyed sharing the rich cultural heritage of her homeland with visitors.

  • The unique wildlife in the Patagonian region attracts many researchers and nature enthusiasts every year.

Synonyms

Latin American
vsPatagonian
33 2.1

A person who comes from Latin America

is defined by a particular southern area rather than language or culture grouping
South American
vsPatagonian
7 1.0

A person who lives in or comes from South America

is narrower, meaning someone from a specific southern region not the whole continent

Compounds

Patagonian Desert
6.3

A very large dry area in southern Argentina that is one of the world's biggest deserts

Surface Forms

Patagonian main

Morphology

Patagonian = Patagonia (transparent) = Patagonia + ian

The suffix '-ian' is commonly used to denote people or things related to a place, making the derivation clear.

Etymology

Patagonian comes from Patagonia, the southern part of South America. One popular story says early sailors called the local people Patagón, a name that suggested 'giant' because they looked very tall to the sailors. So, a Patagonian is someone or something from Patagonia.