FORMOSAN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Formosan mean? 

• FORMOSAN (noun)
  The noun FORMOSAN has 1 sense:

1. the Austronesian languages spoken on Formosa

  Familiarity information: FORMOSAN used as a noun is very rare.

• FORMOSAN (adjective)
  The adjective FORMOSAN has 1 sense:

1. of or relating to or characteristic of the island republic on Taiwan or its residents or their language

  Familiarity information: FORMOSAN used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FORMOSAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The Austronesian languages spoken on Formosa

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("Formosan" is a kind of...):

Austronesian; Austronesian language (the family of languages spoken in Australia and Formosa and Malaysia and Polynesia)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "Formosan"):

Atayalic; Tayalic (a language spoken by a Malaysian people on Formosa)

Tsouic; Paiwanic (a Formosan language)

• FORMOSAN (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to or characteristic of the island republic on Taiwan or its residents or their language

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

Chinese; Formosan; Taiwanese

Context example:

the Taiwanese capital is Taipeh

Derivation:

Formosa (an island in southeastern Asia 100 miles off the coast of mainland China in the South China Sea)