Pacific Islander

noun

plural Pacific Islanders

: a native or a descendant of a native of one of the islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, or Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean

Examples of Pacific Islander in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2026, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black and Latino young people gave Democrat candidates the strongest support, at 81%, 79% and 71%, respectively. — Sara Suzuki, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026

Its leaders hope Asian American and Pacific Islander voters will turn out in numbers large enough to impact outcomes nationwide and particularly in battleground states like Georgia. — Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 29 Oct. 2026

The Sacramento Bee and Nehemiah Leaders Programs celebrated the 2026 class of Change Makers, leaders from the Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Latino and Native American communities. — Allison Gibson, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026

The first Pacific Islander to visit Britain, Mai had joined Captain James Cook’s second expedition during its stop in the Society Islands, which include the islands of Tahiti and Raiatea and today are a part of French Polynesia. — Saar Shahar, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Pacific Islander

noun

: a native or a descendant of a native of Melanesia, Micronesia, or Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean