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merina: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Rare / Specialized
UK/məˈriːnə/US/məˈrinə/

Academic, Anthropological, Geographic, Historical

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Quick answer

What does “merina” mean?

A member of the dominant highland ethnic group of Madagascar, originally from Indonesia.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A member of the dominant highland ethnic group of Madagascar, originally from Indonesia.

Pertaining to the Merina people, their culture, language, or the historical Kingdom of Imerina in central Madagascar.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in usage. The term is equally specialized in both variants.

Connotations

Neutral anthropological term. May carry connotations of colonialism or pre-colonial monarchy in historical contexts.

Frequency

Extremely low frequency in general discourse. Found almost exclusively in academic texts about Madagascar.

Grammar

How to Use “merina” in a Sentence

the Merina of [place/region][noun] of Merina originMerina [noun]

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
Merina peopleMerina kingdomMerina cultureMerina dialect
medium
Merina societyMerina aristocracyMerina traditionMerina ancestry
weak
Merina originMerina influenceMerina heritagecentral Merina

Examples

Examples of “merina” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

  • The Merina monarchy was abolished in 1897.
  • She studied traditional Merina textile patterns.

American English

  • Merina architecture features wooden verandas.
  • The research focused on Merina agricultural techniques.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Not used. Potentially in very specialized trade contexts (e.g., 'Merina cotton').

Academic

Used in anthropology, history, African studies, and linguistics papers focusing on Madagascar.

Everyday

Virtually never used in everyday conversation outside of Madagascar or academic circles.

Technical

Used as a technical term in ethnography and human geography.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “merina”

Strong

Imerina (historical kingdom name)

Neutral

Hova (historical term for commoner Merina)Malagasy highlander

Weak

Malagasy (broader ethnic term)

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “merina”

coastal Malagasycôtier (French term for coastal peoples of Madagascar)

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “merina”

  • Using lowercase ('merina') when it's a proper noun referring to the people.
  • Confusing it with 'marina'.
  • Assuming it's a common English word.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a loanword from Malagasy that has been adopted into English as a specialized term for the ethnic group and its attributes, primarily used in academic contexts.

It is pronounced /məˈriːnə/, with the stress on the second syllable (muh-REE-nuh).

Yes, when referring to the people, culture, or kingdom, it functions as a proper noun and should be capitalized (e.g., the Merina, Merina culture).

'Malagasy' refers to all native peoples of Madagascar and is also the name of the national language. 'Merina' refers specifically to the highland ethnic group that historically established a dominant kingdom.

A member of the dominant highland ethnic group of Madagascar, originally from Indonesia.

Merina is usually academic, anthropological, geographic, historical in register.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “None. The word is too specialized for idiomatic use.”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of MADA**GASCAR**'s **MAR**/INE (sea-faring) origins? Actually, the MERINA are from the **mounTAIN** (highland) centre. MER-INA rhymes with 'higher-na' – the people from the higher lands.

Conceptual Metaphor

None standard.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The people form the largest ethnic group in Madagascar.
Multiple Choice

In which field are you most likely to encounter the word 'Merina'?

merina: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples | Lingvocore