Marshallese

From Marshall (“Marshall Islands”) +‎ -ese.

• Rhymes: -iːz

Marshallese (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the Marshall Islands, its people, or its language.

Marshallese

1. The Austronesian language of the Marshall Islands.

Marshallese (countable and uncountable, plural Marshallese)

1. (chiefly in the plural) An inhabitant of the Marshall Islands.

As with other terms for people formed with -ese, the countable singular noun in reference to a person (as in "I am a Marshallese", "writing about Marshallese cuisine as a Marshallese") is uncommon and often taken as grammatically incorrect. In its place, the adjective is used, by itself (as in "I am Marshallese") or before a noun like person, man, or woman ("writing about Marshallese cuisine as a Marshallese person"). See also -ish, which is similarly only primarily used as an adjective or as a plural noun.

• ISO 639-1 code mh, ISO 639-3 code mah (SIL)
• Ethnologue entry for Marshallese, mah ⁠

• Marshallese language on Wikipedia.Wikipedia