Polynesian

noun

Poly·​ne·​sian ˌpä-lə-ˈnē-zhən  -shən 

1

: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of Polynesia

2

: a group of Austronesian languages spoken in Polynesia

Polynesian adjective

Examples of Polynesian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the women built a thrumming rhythm from their drums and began to chant while others danced, the Hula Halau ‘O Nalua and ‘Ote’a ‘Api School of Polynesian Dance seemed to teleport from the interior of an industrial park in Fremont to a Hawaiian island. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026

Moa, a top-50 prospect in the class of 2026, announced his commitment during the Polynesian Bowl, a high school all-star game in Honolulu, Hawaii. —Austin Meek, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026

Disney's Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Village Resort, and Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, all on the monorail line, offer views of the nightly display—and the beach at the Polynesian Village Resort offers an ideal vantage point. —Carlye Wisel, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2025

The Polynesian went into an end-zone celebration. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Polynesian

• austronesian
• indonesian
• melanesian
• micronesian
• adhesion
• artesian
• cartesian
• cohesion
• elysian
• magnesian
• ferromagnesian
• friesian

Kids Definition

Polynesian

noun

Poly·​ne·​sian ˌpäl-ə-ˈnē-zhən  -shən 

1

: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of Polynesia

2

: a group of languages spoken in Polynesia

Polynesian adjective