aboriginal
adjective /ˌæbəˈrɪdʒənl/
/ˌæbəˈrɪdʒənl/
- (usually Aboriginal)relating to the original people living in Australia
- the issue of Aboriginal land rights
- relating to the original people, animals, etc. of a place and to a period of time before Europeans arrived
- the aboriginal peoples of Canada
- aboriginal art/culture
Word Originmid 17th cent.: from Latin aborigines ‘original inhabitants’ (in classical times referring to those of Italy and Greece, from the Latin phrase ab origine ‘from the beginning’) + -al.