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Australia
Definitions
- 1 An island of Oceania.
"1693: translation of a French novel by Jacques Sadeur (believed to be a pen name of Gabriel de Foigny) titled Les Aventures de Jacques Sadeur dans la Découverte et le Voiage de la Terre Australe published 1692, translation published in London in 1693. Quoted in The Australian Language by Sidney J. Baker, second edition, 1966, chapter XIX, section 1, pages 388-9. This is all that I can have a certain knowledge of as to that side of Australia ..."
- 2 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.
"During Movember (the month formerly known as November), men around the globe grow mustaches (hence the name) while raising money for men’s health issues. Movember started in Australia in 2003."
- 3 A continent consisting of the land on the Australian tectonic plate, i.e. Australia, New Guinea and intervening islands.
"He is going to Australia for his honeymoon for 10 days."
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.
See also for "australia"
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Unscramble this word: australia