aboriginals
aboriginals — noun
- aboriginalssingular
- aboriginalsesplural
1. a person who belongs to the group that lived in a place first, before settlers f
a person who belongs to the group that lived in a place first, before settlers from other countries arrived there
Lara interviewed several aboriginals about their traditional farming methods for a school project.
plural noun: several aboriginals
The new law gives aboriginals greater control over their ancestral burial sites.
indirect object pattern: gives aboriginals [right]
The aboriginals of this island have passed down their language through storytelling for centuries.
Dewi became the first aboriginal from her tribe to earn a degree in marine biology.
Colonial authorities forced aboriginals to send their children to boarding schools far from home.
- indigenous person
broader, more modern term preferred in international contexts
- native
more general; can mean anyone born in a place, not necessarily the first people
- first nations person
used mainly in Canada; has legal and political weight
文法句型
the aboriginals of [place]
用法筆記
Used in the plural ('aboriginals') to refer to a group. The singular form is 'an aboriginal'. When capitalised ('Aboriginal', 'Aboriginals'), it almost always refers specifically to the indigenous peoples of Australia.
常見錯誤
aboriginals — adjective
- aboriginalspositive
- more aboriginalscomparative
- most aboriginalssuperlative
1. relating to the people who were the original inhabitants of a land, before it wa
relating to the people who were the original inhabitants of a land, before it was colonised by people from other places
The museum hosted a special exhibition of aboriginal art from the Amazon basin.
collocation: aboriginal art
Joon's research focuses on the aboriginal languages of the Pacific islands.
collocation: aboriginal languages
The court ruled that the mining company had violated aboriginal land rights.
Many young people are rediscovering their aboriginal heritage through traditional music and dance.
The documentary explores aboriginal spiritual beliefs about the connection between people and nature.
- indigenous
broader, more neutral and preferred in modern academic and legal usage
- native
more general; can describe anyone born in a place, including non-indigenous people
- first
as in 'first peoples'; emphasises chronological priority
文法句型
aboriginal + noun (people / land / culture / rights / art / language)
用法筆記
In modern contexts, 'indigenous' is often preferred over 'aboriginal' when describing the original peoples of a region, because 'aboriginal' can carry colonial-era overtones. 'Native' is also common but broader — it can refer to anyone born in a particular place (e.g. 'a native of Taipei'). 'Aboriginal' with a capital A (Aboriginal) almost always refers specifically to the indigenous peoples of Australia. This adjective is typically used before a noun (attributive position); it does not take comparative forms ('more aboriginal').