Iban

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A seafaring indigenous ethnic group of Borneo, known for longhouse communities and traditional rice farming ; a standardized international code that identifies a bank account when making cross-border payments
2. An indigenous community native to Borneo, historically living in longhouses along its rivers ; a standardized account identifier used in international banking to route money transfers
3. A traditional people of the island of Borneo whose culture centers on river life ; a globally standardized bank account code that helps ensure payments reach the correct recipient

Etymology: Iban is the name of the largest Dayak group in Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. Its meaning is uncertain, though it is often glossed as "wanderer" or "roamer," which may reflect the group's long history of migration. For much of the colonial period, outsiders used the label "Sea Dayak" instead, and "Iban" gradually became the preferred name. The same spelling also names the International Bank Account Number, a banking standard whose letters stand for words in English. That acronym has no connection to the Bornean name, and the two words share only their spelling.