Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Indonesian?

\In`do*ne"sian\, n. A member of a race forming the chief pre-Malay population of the Malay Archipelago, and probably sprung from a mixture of Polynesian and Mongoloid immigrants. According to Keane, the autochthonous Negritos were largely expelled by the Caucasian Polynesians, themselves followed by Mongoloid peoples of Indo-Chinese affinities, from mixture with whom sprang the {Indonesian race}. The term Indonesian, introduced by Logan to designate the light-colored non-Malay inhabitants of the Eastern Archipelago, is now used as a convenient collective name for all the peoples of Malaysia and Polynesia who are neither Malay nor Papuans, but of Caucasic type. . . . The true Indonesians are of tall stature (5 ft. 10 in.), muscular frame, rather oval features, high, open forehead, large straight or curved nose, large full eyes always horizontal and with no trace of the third lid, light brown complexion (cinnamon or ruddy brown), long black hair, not lank but often slightly curled or wavy, skull generally brachycephalous like that of the melanochroic European. --A. H. Keane. The Indonesians [of the Philippines], with the tribal population of some 251, 200, live almost exclusively on the great island of Mindanao. They are not only physically superior to the Negritos, but to the peoples of the Malayan race as well, and are, as a rule, quite intelligent. --Rep. Phil. Com., 1902.
\In`do*ne"sian\, a. [Indo- + Gr. ? island.] Of or pertaining to Indonesia or Indonesians.