Tongan
/ˈtɒŋ.ən/noun
Of or relating to Tonga, its people, or their Polynesian language.
Did you know?Tongan is an English demonym formed from the island kingdom of Tonga; the name Tonga is commonly explained as meaning “south” or “southern” in Polynesian languages, reflecting its place in the Pacific.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
PPN
*tonga
“south; southern”
Tongan
TO
Tonga
“the island group and kingdom name, traditionally associated with the south”
17th–18th Century
English
Tonga
“the Pacific islands and later the kingdom”
19th Century
English
Tongan
“a person from Tonga; relating to Tonga”
Explore more surprising origins