Papuan: Meaning and Definition of

Pap•u•an

Pronunciation: (pap'y-un), [key]
— adj.
  1. of or pertaining to New Guinea or to Papua New Guinea.
  2. noting or pertaining to the indigenous black peoples of New Guinea, characterized by a black or dark brown complexion and crisp, frizzled hair.
  3. of or pertaining to any of the unaffiliated languages indigenous to New Guinea and other islands nearby, esp. Timor, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Moluccas, and the Solomons.
—n.
  1. a native or inhabitant of New Guinea or Papua New Guinea.
  2. any of the Papuan languages.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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