australia
|Aus-tra-li-a|
🇺🇸
/əˈstreɪljə/
🇬🇧
/ɒˈstreɪljə/
southern land
Etymology
'Australia' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'australis', where 'australis' meant 'southern'.
'Australia' changed from the Latin phrase 'Terra Australis' ('southern land'), used in medieval and early modern geography, and was later shortened and popularized as 'Australia' (notably by Matthew Flinders in the early 19th century) to become the modern English name.
Initially, it meant 'southern land' (including the hypothetical southern continent); over time it evolved to refer specifically to the country/continent now called Australia.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands; officially the Commonwealth of Australia.
Australia is the world's sixth-largest country by total area.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the continent or landmass of Australia (the southern landmass sometimes distinguished from nearby regions such as Oceania).
The flora and fauna of Australia include many species found nowhere else.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/11/22 04:38