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Tribal vs Aboriginal - What's the difference?

tribal | aboriginal |

As adjectives the difference between tribal and aboriginal

is that tribal is of, or relating to, tribes while aboriginal is of or pertaining to australian aboriginal peoples, aborigines, or their language.

As nouns the difference between tribal and aboriginal

is that tribal is a design or image that has been influenced by indigenous peoples; especially such a tattoo while aboriginal is an aboriginal inhabitant of australia, aborigine.

As a proper noun aboriginal is

any of the native languages spoken by australian aborigines.

tribal

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of, or relating to, tribes
  • Based on or organized according to tribes.

    • Derived terms

    * neotribalism

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A design or image that has been influenced by indigenous peoples; especially such a tattoo
    • ----

    aboriginal

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • First according to historical or scientific records; original; indigenous; primitive.
  • * 1814 , , The Excursion , Longman et al. (publishers), [http://books.google.com/books?id=T18JAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA277&dq=aboriginal page 277]:
    • Green in the Church-yard, beautiful and green; / / And mantled o'er with aboriginal turf / And everlasting flowers.
  • Living in a land before colonization by the Europeans.
  • (Aboriginal)

    • Synonyms

    * (indigenous to a place) native, indigenous, autochthonous, endemic, original, first, earliest, primitive, ancient, primordial, primeval

    Derived terms

    * aboriginality * aboriginally

    Related terms

    * aborigine

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An animal or plant native to a region.
  • * Charles Darwin
    • It may well be doubted whether this frog is an aboriginal of these islands.
  • (Aboriginal)

    • Usage notes

    * Using uncapitalized aboriginal to refer to people or anything associated with people may cause offence. * In Canada, style manuals recommend against using the noun Aboriginal for a person or people. * See also the usage notes under Aboriginal .

    References

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