aboriginal
UK[ˌæb.əˈrɪdʒ.ən.əl]US[ˌæb.əˈrɪdʒ.ən.əl]
adj
relating to the people or animals that have existed in a place or country from the earliest times.
n
a member of a race of people who were the first people to live in a country, before any colonists arrived.
Morpheme Breakdown
ab
origin
al
ab
from
origin
beginning, source, birth
al
of or pertaining to
Etymology
the word 'aboriginal' is a modern english formation built directly from latin components. it combines the preposition 'ab' ("from") with 'origo' ("beginning, source"), creating the sense of "from the origin." the latin phrase 'ab origine' was used adverbially to mean "from the beginning." the english adjective was formed by adding the suffix '-al' to the noun 'origin,' and it came to be specifically applied in the context of colonial societies to describe the peoples inhabiting a land from its earliest known history. thus, the term's literal logic of "pertaining to the origin" evolved into its modern, specific anthropological meaning denoting indigenous inhabitants.
Analysis
Structure: ab + origin + al
ab- (latin, meaning "from"); origin (latin, meaning "beginning, source, birth"); -al (latin, adjectival suffix meaning "of or pertaining to").
Examples
the museum has a large collection of aboriginal art and artifacts.
the rights of aboriginal peoples are protected under international law.
kangaroos are aboriginal to australia.