Australia

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name

An island of Oceania.
A country consisting of a main island, the island of Tasmania and other smaller islands, located in Oceania; historically, a collection of former colonies of the British Empire. Official name: Commonwealth of Australia. Capital: Canberra.
A continent consisting of the land on the Australian tectonic plate, i.e. Australia, New Guinea and intervening islands.

Pronunciation

/ɒˈstɹeɪ.liː.ə/ /ɒˈstɹeɪ.li.jə/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Soundguys-Australia.wav /ɔːˈstɹeɪ.lɪ.ə/ /ɔːˈstɹeɪ.lɪ.jə/ /ɒˈstɹeɪl.jə/ /əˈstɹeɪl.jə/ /əˈstɹæɪl.jə/ /əˈstɹæɪ.liː.ə/ /əˈstɹæɪ.jə/ /-ɹɛl-/ /-ɹe.jə/ en-au-Australia.ogg /əˈstɹɛ.liː.ə/ /ɔˈstɹeɪl.jə/ /ɔˈstɹeɪl.i.ə/ en-us-Australia.ogg /ɑˈstɹɛl.i.ə/ /ɑˈstɹɛl.jə/ /-ɹeɪl-/ En-Australia.oga

Word forms

Australia Straya 'Straya

Etymology

First attested 16th century, from Latin terra austrālis incōgnita (“unknown southern land”), from auster (“the south wind”). Used also in 1693 (quotation below). Popularised by Matthew Flinders in 1814 (quotation below). By surface analysis, Austral- + -ia. Distantly cognate to Austria, containing the same Proto-Indo-European root, but through German where it retained the earlier sense of “east” rather than “south”. See also Terra Australis.

Synonyms

Aussie Aussieland land down under New Holland Oz Terra Australis Upsidedownland Stralia Straya Meganesia Sahul Oceania

Related words

Austrasia Austria AU Aust Countries of the world

Derived words

Aussie Australasia Australia antigen Australia Day Australia Felix Australian Australianism Australia Tax Central Australia Commonwealth of Australia Eastralia North Australia Order of Australia South Australia the Massachusetts of Australia Western Australia Westralia

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