sb. and a. [ad. F. australien, f. L. austrālis, in Terra Australis ‘southern land,’ the title given, from 16th c., to the supposed continent and islands lying in the Great Southern Ocean, for which Australia was at length substituted (see Flinders, 1814, Voyage to Terra Australis, I. Introd. p. iii., foot-note.) With the gradual restriction of Terra Australis and ‘Australia’ to New Holland (see Penny Cycl., 1835, s.v.), Australian has been similarly restricted.]
A. sb. † 1. A native of the Terra Australis, including Australasia, Polynesia and ‘Magellanica,’ Obs. 2. An aboriginal native of, later, also, a colonist or resident in, the island-continent of Australia.
1693. New Discov. Terra Incogn. Austral., 163. It is easie to judge of the incomparability of the Australians with the people of Europe.
1766. Callander, Terra Australis (De Brosses), II. 280. One of the Australians, or natives of the Southern World, whom Gonneville had brought into France.
1815. Ann. Reg., 546. Like most Australians their legs did not bear the European proportion to the size of their heads and bodies.
1880. Daily News, 25 Nov., 5/2. Herbert it seems is an Australian, or at least has been living in Australia.
B. adj. Of or belonging to Australia.
1814. R. Brown, in Flinders, Voy. Terr. Austr., II. 535. The collection of Australian plants thus formed amounts to nearly 3900 species.
1839. Penny Cycl., XIV. 363. The Alfourou and Australian races.
Mod. Proposed confederation of the Australian colonies.
Hence, Australioid, a., also Australoid, of the ethnological type of the aborigines of Australia.
1864. Reader, No. 103. 771/1. Australioid rather than Australian.
1869. Lubbock, Preh. Times, xii. 378. The Australoid type contains all the inhabitants of Australia, and the native races of the Deccan.
1884. Sat. Rev., 26 July, 118. Proving the existence of Australioid blood in our veins.
