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noun Uncommon

Papua

PAPWUH

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Papua (noun) means a person native to Papua or Papua New Guinea. Example: “The festival celebrated traditional dances performed by local Papuas.”

noun

1

A person native to Papua or Papua New Guinea.

"The festival celebrated traditional dances performed by local Papuas."

"Many Papuas speak one of hundreds of distinct local languages."

How to use Papua

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsed to describe someone from the Papua region of New Guinea, whether the Indonesian province or historically the wider territory.

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: Papuas

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The festival celebrated traditional dances performed by local _____.

Etymology

There are three theories: * From Malay pepuah (“curly (of hair)”) for the natives of the island of New Guinea. * From Ternate/Tidore papo ua (“not united; not coalesced”), referring to the territory that geographically was far away from the Sultanate of Tidore (and thus not united). The territory was called papo ua gam sio (“nine village/region that is not united”). * From Biak sup i babwa (“the land below [the sunset]”), referring to the islands (Raja Ampat) west of the Bird's Head, as far as Halmahera.

Rhymes for Papua

MUA qua Hua aqua Padua Capua Mantua Joshua Antigua Nicaragua Chihuahua

See all rhymes for Papua →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Papua” mean?

The word “Papua” means a person native to Papua or Papua New Guinea. In plain terms, used to describe someone from the Papua region of New Guinea, whether the Indonesian province or historically the wider territory.

How do you pronounce “Papua”?

“Papua” is pronounced PAPWUH (/ˈpaːpwə/ in IPA).

How do you use “Papua” in a sentence?

Here is “Papua” used in a sentence: “The festival celebrated traditional dances performed by local Papuas.”

What part of speech is “Papua”?

“Papua” is a noun.

Is “Papua” a common word?

“Papua” is an uncommon word in modern English.

etymology from Wiktionary