A member of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia; this term is now considered outdated or offensive and has been replaced by more respectful terminology.
Shortened form of 'Aboriginal,' itself from Latin ab- (from) + originem (origin), meaning 'from the beginning.' The shortened form emerged in Australian English in the 20th century.
This word's history is a cautionary tale about how diminishing or shortening words can become dehumanizing—language researchers note that using 'Abo' was a way colonial speakers avoided the full humanity implied by 'Aboriginal person.'
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