Aborigines

[ ab-uh-rij-uh-neez ]

plural noun

1. the plural form of Aborigine.

aborigines

1. The earliest known inhabitants of a region. The term is most often associated with the native hunting and gathering population of Australia , who preceded the arrival of white settlers. ( See hunting and gathering societies .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Aborigines¹

First recorded in 1540–50; Aborigine ( def ) + -s ³( def ); Aborigine ( def )

Example Sentences

Wartilykirri is a hooked boomerang shaped like the number seven, used by Aborigines in southeastern Australia.

From Los Angeles Times

The intersection of tourism and Australia’s Indigenous peoples, the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, hasn’t always been so promising.

From New York Times

When the Australian Aborigines arrived on the continent of Australia, they started changing the ecosystem in very dramatic ways, and a lot of species went extinct.

From Salon

“The Australian Aborigines are defending themselves with bow and arrow against the authorities who are forcibly trying to vaccinate them,” reads one false tweet that shared the video.

From Seattle Times

Australia has struggled for decades to reconcile with Aborigines, who arrived on the continent some 50,000 years before British colonists.

From Reuters