Polynesiann.adj.

1807 J. Pinkerton Mod. Geogr. (new ed.) I. p. xx Meanwhile the account of the manners of the Polynesians will not only gratify the most minute enquirer, but will serve to rectify many errors of Montesquieu, and other eminent writers, with regard to a singular stage of society.

1842 M. Russell Polynesia i. 33 The Indo-Americans and Polynesians are one people.

1874 A. Trollope Harry Heathcote iv. 91 Picky was one of the Polynesians, who at once started on his errand.

1901 Chambers's Jrnl. Dec. 799/2 His eyesight, like that of all Polynesians, was better than that of any white man.

1960 T. Davis & L. Davis Makutu i. iii. 43 Family relationships are important among the Polynesians and families are large.

2001 J. Robinson Voices of Queensland iv. 104 The term blackbird arose in the late nineteenth century as a slang term for a captive negro or Polynesian on board a slave or pirate ship.

1812 W. Marsden Gram. Malayan Lang. p. xviii This language..may be conveniently termed the Polynesian, and distinguished..into the Hither (frequently termed the East insular language) and the Further Polynesian.

1820 J. Crawfurd Hist. Indian Archipel. II. v. v. 84 All agree in borrowing from the same source—from the great Polynesian.

1923 A. L. Kroeber Anthropol. v. 121 Articles..recur in Semitic, in Polynesian, and in several groups of American languages.

1992 P. Theroux Happy Isles Oceania xxi. 600 The sound of barking and cockcrows, the crash of surf, and people speaking in Spanish and Polynesian.

1807 J. Pinkerton Mod. Geogr. (new ed.) II. 691 Amidst the want of materials for a more complete account of the Polynesian Islands, the following observations, may, in the mean time supply the allotted space.

1874 A. Trollope Harry Heathcote iv. 89 A gang of Polynesian labourers..from the South Sea Islands.

1931 R. Campbell Georgiad iii. 52 The huge jaws of Polynesian clams.

1978 B. Priestley Island Emperor iii. 26 ‘My great-grandfather used to eat men...’ He seemed rather ashamed..talking about the darker side of the Polynesian past.

1991 Antiquity 65 888/1 The sweet potato was introduced prehistorically into central eastern Polynesia..from whence it was further dispersed to the marginal extremes of the Polynesian triangle.

1812 W. Marsden Gram. Malayan Lang. p. xxii The Polynesian or general East-insular language..does not include those spoken by the description of people termed Papūa and Samang.

1820 J. Crawfurd Hist. Indian Archipel. II. v. v. 93 The Sanskrit language exists indeed embodied in writing, while the Polynesian language can be traced only as it is scattered over a thousand living dialects.

1863 J. C. Patteson Let. 8 Aug. in C. M. Yonge Life J. C. Patteson (1874) II. ix. 69 One might almost get together all the disjecta membra, and reconstruct the original Polynesian tongue.

1939 Times 4 Jan. 12/2 The common origin of the Indonesian, Melanesian and Polynesian languages.

1975 K. Katzner Langs. of World ii. 251 Tahitian is..a Polynesian language with about 50,000 speakers.

2000 E. Hunt et al. South Pacific 901/2 Rangatira—(ragatira in Samoa, ra'atira in Tahiti) Polynesian word for a chief or the nobility.