Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

australia

/əˈstɹæɪl.jə/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.06 in modern English

Syllables: Aus-tra-lia
IPA: /əˈstɹæɪl.jə/

9

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

name

An island of Oceania.

name

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.

name

A continent consisting of the land on the Australian tectonic plate, i.e. Australia, New Guinea and intervening islands.

Example Sentences

"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 ..."
"Had I permitted myself any innovation upon the original term, it would have been to convert it into AUSTRALIA; as being more agreeable to the ear, and an assimilation to the names of the other great portions of the earth."
"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."
"The statement did not specify the location of that trip, but provided further details of her romantic life, stating that Saroukos and her husband spent eight days together before she returned to Australia on Dec. 21."
"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.

Word Breakdown

Root: *h₂ews-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /əˈstɹæɪl.jə/
British English: /ɒˈstɹeɪ.liː.ə/

Inflected Forms

Straya (alternative, informal) 'Straya (alternative, informal)

Derived Forms

Aussie Australasia Australian Australianism Australophobe Australorp Eastralia Westralia

Phrases

Australia antigen Australia Day Australia Felix Australia Tax Central Australia Commonwealth of Australia North Australia Order of Australia

Frequently Paired Words

Austrasia Austria AU Aust Countries of the world

Synonyms

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

Rhymes With

azalea paraphernalia regalia thalia sedalia vidalia bacchanalia genitalia dahlia marginalia saturnalia pharsalia

Questions

How do you pronounce australia?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈstɹæɪl.jə/.
What does australia mean?: An island of Oceania.
Where does australia come from?: 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.

How to pronounce australia

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