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

Images from Indonesia's Presidential Secretariat show several polished stone ax heads and ceremonial objects traditionally associated with Papuan societies. — ABC News, 23 July 2026

Traditional Papuan stone axes, said the minister, were much more than utilitarian objects. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 23 July 2026

Much later, during the Miocene – roughly 17 to 20 million years ago – osteoderms reappeared in the common ancestors of several Australian and Papuan monitor groups, but in a lighter, looser form. — New Atlas, 13 Jan. 2026

From giant sequoias to the tree-houses of Papuan tribesmen to an actual chimpanzee nest, Moor makes his way to the tops of trees everywhere, the better to find some perspective. — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Papuan

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon