polynesian

polynesian — adjective

1. connected with Polynesia, its peoples, or the cultures of that region.

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

connected with Polynesia, its peoples, or the cultures of that region.

Example

The museum opened a room for Polynesian art and tools.

Polynesian + art

In Tahiti, visitors can learn Polynesian dance after lunch.

Polynesian + dance

Common collocations
  • Polynesian art
  • Polynesian dance
  • Polynesian culture
  • Polynesian traditions
Synonyms
  • Pacific

    broader; it can include places and peoples outside Polynesia

  • Oceanian

    broader and more formal, often used in academic or museum contexts

Grammar Patterns

Polynesian + art/culture/dance

Polynesian + people/tradition/story

Usage Note

Always capitalized. Most often used before nouns such as art, culture, dance, history, or people. Distinguish from noun/1, which names a person rather than describing something.

Common Mistakes

They studied polynesian history at school.
They studied Polynesian history at school.
words formed from place names are capitalized.
We watched Polynesian at school.
We watched Polynesian dance at school.
this sense is an adjective, so it needs a noun after it.

polynesian — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Polynesian is the most exact broad word when you mean Polynesia as a region, its peoples, or its cultures. Pacific is much wider: it can describe the ocean and many places around it, including areas outside Polynesia. Oceanian is wider still and sounds more formal, especially in academic or museum writing. Hawaiian and Samoan are narrower words for one particular people, place, or tradition, so they are better when you know the exact community. In careful writing, use the specific name when it is known, and use Polynesian for the larger regional group. For example, say Polynesian dance traditions for a broad topic, but Samoan dance for one specific tradition.

Pacific ↗OceanianHawaiian ↗Samoan

Etymology

GreekFrenchEnglish

Polynesian comes from Polynesia, the name of the island region in the Pacific. Polynesia was built from Greek parts meaning 'many' and 'islands', and English added the ending -an to make a word for the people and things of that region.