Tungusian
|Tung-gu-si-an|
/tʌŋˈɡuːziən/
relating to the Tungus people or Tungusic languages
Etymology
'Tungusian' originates from the ethnonym 'Tungus' (used in Russian), formed in English by adding the adjectival/national suffix '-ian'.
'Tungus' was recorded in Russian as 'Тунгус' (Tungus) referring to various Evenki and related peoples; English adopted the form 'Tungus' and created 'Tungusian' by adding the English suffix '-ian' in the 19th century.
Initially it referred specifically to the people called 'Tungus' by Russian speakers; over time it has been used both for people (a Tungusian) and adjectivally for things relating to those peoples or their languages, sometimes overlapping with the term 'Tungusic.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of the Tungus people (an exonym historically used for various Tungusic-speaking groups) or, more broadly, someone belonging to a Tungusic ethnic group.
A Tungusian from the Evenki community described his people's seasonal movements.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to the Tungus people or to the Tungusic languages and cultures of Siberia and northeastern Asia.
Tungusian traditions have been studied by ethnographers interested in Siberian cultures.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/13 09:08