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🇹🇴 From Tonga 🗣️ A Polynesian language 👤 A person from Tonga
Tongan

Tongan

5.3
A person from Tonga or whose family comes from there
  • noun
  • /ˈtɔŋɡən/
translation icon : tongo
  • Maria is proud to be Tongan and celebrates her heritage every year.

We're Mary's, we're Tongans, we're white, but it's US versus them.

Examples

  • As a Tongan, he often shares traditional stories from his culture.

  • We're Mary's, we're Tongans, we're white, but it's US versus them.

    andrew gold | heretics.

  • The Tongan community organized a festival to showcase their customs and foods.

Synonyms

Polynesian
vsTongan
1 4.4

A person from the islands of Polynesia

is a native or descendant from one island nation within that region
Oceanian
vsTongan
4.6

A person who is from or lives in Oceania

is a native or descendant from a single island nation within that Pacific area
Austronesian
vsTongan
9.6

A person who belongs to the island peoples of Southeast Asia, Madagascar, and the Pacific

is a native or descendant of one island nation not the whole language family

Idioms

to operate on Tongan time
  • Slur
9.9

To follow a relaxed plan and arrive late without worry

Compounds

Tongan language
7.5

A way of speaking used by people in Tonga

Tongan time
  • Slur
9.9

A relaxed way of thinking about time in Tonga where people often arrive late

Surface Forms

Tongan singular
Tongans plural

Morphology

Tongan = Tonga (transparent) = Tonga + an

A demonym formed regularly from the place name 'Tonga' with the suffix '-an'.

Etymology

The word Tongan for a person comes from Tonga plus the ending -an meaning 'from' or 'of', just like Italian means 'from Italy', so a Tongan is someone from Tonga or whose family comes from Tonga.