Papuan

noun

Pap·​u·​an ˈpa-pyə-wən 

-pə-

1

: a native or inhabitant of Papua

2

: a member of any of the native peoples of New Guinea and adjacent areas of Melanesia

3

: any of a heterogeneous group of languages spoken in New Guinea, New Britain, and the Solomon islands

Papuan adjective

Examples of Papuan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This was confirmed thanks to the discovery of individuals with Papuan ancestry on the island of Watom in the Bismarck Archipelago, which also points towards the advanced seafaring skills of these communities. —Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1