philippine
philippine Lexical Profile
philippine Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to the Philippines, an island country in Southeast Asia, or its people, culture, and institutions.
"The museum features an extensive collection of Philippine textiles and traditional woodcarvings."
• noun
A traditional social game or custom in which two people share a twin-kerneled nut (such as an almond) and compete at their next meeting to be the first to say the word 'philippine' to claim a small gift or forfeit; also, the double-kerneled nut itself.
"After finding two kernels inside the almond shell, the sisters shared them and agreed to play a philippine the next morning."
A native or inhabitant of the Philippines (now rare and largely superseded by 'Filipino').
"Historical nineteenth-century travelogues occasionally referred to the islands' inhabitants as Philippines."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the country, its geography, or its official institutions, 'Philippine' is the standard adjective (e.g., the Philippine government, the Philippine Sea), whereas 'Filipino' is typically preferred for the people, language, and cultural traditions.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
As an adjective relating to the Southeast Asian archipelago, the word derives from Spanish 'Filipinas', named in 1543 by explorer Ruy López de Villalobos in honor of Prince Philip of Asturias (later King Philip II of Spain). The lowercase noun referring to a shared nut kernel and the accompanying forfeit game comes from French 'philippine', an adaptation of German 'Vielliebchen' ('very darling' or 'sweetheart'), altered by folk etymology to match the personal name.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.