aboriginal

UK: 'Aboriginal', 'aboriginal': /ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪn^əl/

US: /ˌæbəˈrɪdʒənəl/

US: (ab′ə rij′ə nl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ab•o•rig•i•nal /ˌæbəˈrɪdʒənəl/   adj. 

1. original or earliest known:
   [usually before a noun] the aboriginal people of the region.

n. [countable]

2. Anthropology aborigine.

ab•o•rig•i•nal•ly, adv. See -ori-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ab•o•rig•i•nal  (ab′ə rij′ə nl), adj. 

1. Anthropology of, pertaining to, or typical of aborigines:
   aboriginal customs.
2. original or earliest known;
   native;
   indigenous:
   the aboriginal people of Tahiti.

n. 

3. Anthropology aborigine (def. 1).
4. Language Varieties (cap.) aborigine (def. 2).

• aborigine + -al¹ 1660–70

ab′o•rig′i•nal′i•ty, n. 
ab′o•rig′i•nal•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 2. endemic, autochthonous, primordial.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

aboriginal / ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪn^əl/ adjective

1. existing in a place from the earliest known period; indigenous; autochthonous

ˌaboˈriginally adverb

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Aboriginal / ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪn^əl/ adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the indigenous peoples of Australia

noun

1. another word for an Australian Aborigine