noun
aborigines
noun
1
The original or earliest known inhabitants of a region.
"Historians study the customs of the region's aborigines before European contact."
How to Use Aborigines
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe first known people to live in a particular place.
When to use it
When referring to Australia's indigenous peoples, "Aboriginal peoples" or specific nation names are generally preferred today over "Aborigines," which some consider outdated or offensive.
Word Forms
the Aborigines plural
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Historians study the customs of the region's _____ before European contact.
Etymology
A learned borrowing from Latin aborigines, plural, "the original inhabitants."