Meanings
alternative informal Straya · alternative informal 'Straya
- An island of Oceania.
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.
1814, Matthew Flinders, A Voyage to Terra Australis, volume 1 (at Project Gutenberg)1 more example
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 ...
- 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.
2011 November 1, Emily Smith, “‘Movember’ gets hairy, for a cause”, in CNN1 more example
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.
2025 May 30, Riley Cedar, “Soldier’s wife deported to Australia after detainment in Hawaii”, in Military TimesSynonyms: Aussie, Aussieland, land down under, New Holland, Oz, Terra Australis, Upsidedownland, Stralia
- geographyA 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.
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA 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.
proper nounA continent consisting of the land on the Australian tectonic plate, i.e. Australia, New Guinea and intervening islands.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂ews-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwss?
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwsteros
- Proto-Italic*austeros
- Latinauster
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Latinaustrālis
- Latinterra austrālis incōgnitainflu.
- EnglishAustralia
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.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans Australië, Australië
- AustraliëCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiëcontinent of Australia
Arabic أُسْتُرَالِيَا, أستراليا
- أُسْتُرَالِيَا (ʔusturāliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- أستراليا (ʔustrālya)Commonwealth of Australia
- ؤسطرالياCommonwealth of Australia
- أُسْتُرَالِيَا (ʔusturāliyā)continent of Australia
- أُوسْتُرَالِيَا (ʔūsturāliyā)continent of Australia
Basque Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
Bavarian German Australien
- AustralienCommonwealth of Australia
Bengali অস্ট্রেলিয়া, অস্ট্রেলিয়া
- অস্ট্রেলিয়া (osṭreliẏa)Commonwealth of Australia
- অস্ট্রেলিয়া (osṭreliẏa)continent of Australia
Bulgarian Австра́лия, Австралия
- Австра́лия (Avstrálija)Commonwealth of Australia
- Австралия (Avstralija)continent of Australia
Catalan Austràlia, Austràlia
- AustràliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Austràliacontinent of Australia
Chinese 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚, 澳洲
- 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚 (Ò-tāi-lī-a)Commonwealth of Australia
- 澳洲 (Ò-chiu)Commonwealth of Australia
- 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚 (Ò-tāi-lī-a)continent of Australia
- 澳洲 (Ò-chiu)continent of Australia
Chinese Cantonese 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚, 澳洲
- 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚 (ou³ daai⁶ lei⁶ aa³)Commonwealth of Australia
- 澳洲 (ou³ zau¹)Commonwealth of Australia
- 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚 (ou³ daai⁶ lei⁶ aa³)continent of Australia
- 澳洲 (ou³ zau¹)continent of Australia
Chinese Mandarin 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚, 澳洲
- 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚 (Àodàlìyà)Commonwealth of Australia
- 澳洲 (Àozhōu)Commonwealth of Australia
- 澳大利亞 /澳大利亚 (Àodàlìyà)continent of Australia
- 澳洲 (Àozhōu)continent of Australia
Czech Austrálie, Austrálie
- AustrálieCommonwealth of Australia
- Austráliecontinent of Australia
Danish Australien, Australien
- AustralienCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiencontinent of Australia
Dari آسْتْرَالِیَا, آسْتْرَلِیَا
- آسْتْرَالِیَا (āstrāliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- آسْتْرَلِیَا (āstraliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- آسْتْریلِیَا (āstrēliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- آسْتْرَالِیَا (āstrāliyā)continent of Australia
- آسْتْرَلِیَا (āstraliyā)continent of Australia
- آسْتْریلِیَا (āstrēliyā)continent of Australia
Dutch Australië, Australië
- AustraliëCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiëcontinent of Australia
Esperanto Aŭstralio
- AŭstralioCommonwealth of Australia
Estonian Austraalia, Austraalia
- AustraaliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Austraaliacontinent of Australia
Finnish Australia, Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiacontinent of Australia
- Australian mannercontinent of Australia
French Australie, Australie
- AustralieCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiecontinent of Australia
German Australien, Australien
- AustralienCommonwealth of Australia
- AustralienCommonwealth of Australia
- AuschdralieCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiencontinent of Australia
Greek Αυστραλία
- Αυστραλία (Afstralía)Commonwealth of Australia
Hawaiian ʻAukekulelia, Nuhōlani
- ʻAukekuleliaCommonwealth of Australia
- NuhōlaniCommonwealth of Australia
- ʻAukekuleliacontinent of Australia
Hebrew אוֹסְטְרַלְיָה, אוֹסְטְרַלְיָה
- אוֹסְטְרַלְיָה (ostrálya)Commonwealth of Australia
- אוֹסְטְרַלְיָה (ostrálya)continent of Australia
Hindi ऑस्ट्रेलिया, आस्ट्रेलिया
- ऑस्ट्रेलिया (ŏsṭreliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- आस्ट्रेलिया (āsṭreliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- ओस्ट्रेलिया (osṭreliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- ऑस्ट्रेलिया (ŏsṭreliyā)continent of Australia
- आस्ट्रेलिया (āsṭreliyā)continent of Australia
- ओस्ट्रेलिया (osṭreliyā)continent of Australia
Hungarian Ausztrália, Ausztrália
- AusztráliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Ausztráliacontinent of Australia
Icelandic Ástralía, Ástralía
- ÁstralíaCommonwealth of Australia
- Ástralíacontinent of Australia
Indonesian Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
Iranian Persian اُسْتُرالِیا, اُسْتْرالِیا
- اُسْتُرالِیا (ostorâliyâ)Commonwealth of Australia
- اُسْتْرالِیا (ostrâliyâ)Commonwealth of Australia
- اُسْتُرالِیا (ostorâliyâ)continent of Australia
- اُسْتْرالِیا (ostrâliyâ)continent of Australia
Irish Astráil, An Astráil
- AstráilCommonwealth of Australia
- An Astráilcontinent of Australia
Italian Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
Japanese オーストラリア, 濠洲
- オーストラリア (Ōsutoraria)Commonwealth of Australia
- 濠洲 (Gōshū)Commonwealth of Australia
- 豪州 (Gōshū)Commonwealth of Australia
- 濠 (Gō)Commonwealth of Australia
- 豪 (Gō)Commonwealth of Australia
- オーストラリア (Ōsutoraria)continent of Australia
- 濠洲 (Gōshū)continent of Australia
- 豪州 (Gōshū)continent of Australia
- 濠 (Gō)continent of Australia
- 豪 (Gō)continent of Australia
- オーストラリア大陸 (Ōsutoraria tairiku)continent of Australia
Korean 호주, 오스트레일리아
- 호주 (Hoju)Commonwealth of Australia
- 오스트레일리아 (Oseuteureillia)Commonwealth of Australia
- 오스트랄리아 (Oseuteurallia)Commonwealth of Australia
- 호주 (Hoju)continent of Australia
- 오스트레일리아 (Oseuteureillia)continent of Australia
- 오스트랄리아 (Oseuteurallia)continent of Australia
Latin Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
Latvian Austrālija, Austrālija
- AustrālijaCommonwealth of Australia
- Austrālijacontinent of Australia
Lithuanian Australija, Australija
- AustralijaCommonwealth of Australia
- Australijacontinent of Australia
Malay Australia, Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiacontinent of Australia
Māori Ahitereiria, Te Pāpaka-a-Māui
- AhitereiriaCommonwealth of Australia
- Te Pāpaka-a-MāuiCommonwealth of Australia
- Te Whenua MoemoeāCommonwealth of Australia
Norwegian Bokmål Australia, Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiacontinent of Australia
Polish Australia, Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiacontinent of Australia
Portuguese Austrália, Austrália
- AustráliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Austráliacontinent of Australia
Punjabi ਅਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ, ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ
- ਅਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ (asaṭrelīā)Commonwealth of Australia
- ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ (āsaṭrelīā)Commonwealth of Australia
- آسٹریلیا (āsṫreliya)Commonwealth of Australia
Romanian Australia, Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiacontinent of Australia
Russian Австра́лия, Австра́лия
- Австра́лия (Avstrálija)Commonwealth of Australia
- Австра́лия (Avstrálija)continent of Australia
Scottish Gaelic Astràilia
- AstràiliaCommonwealth of Australia
Slovak Austrália, Austrália
- AustráliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Austráliacontinent of Australia
Spanish Australia, Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiacontinent of Australia
Swahili Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
Swedish Australien, Australien
- AustralienCommonwealth of Australia
- Australiencontinent of Australia
- Ulimaroacontinent of Australia
Tagalog Australia, Australya
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
- AustralyaCommonwealth of Australia
- AwstralyaCommonwealth of Australia
Tamil அவுஸ்திரேலியா, ஆஸ்திரேலியா
- அவுஸ்திரேலியா (avustirēliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- ஆஸ்திரேலியா (āstirēliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- ஆத்திரேலியா (āttirēliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- அவுஸ்திரேலியா (avustirēliyā)continent of Australia
- ஆஸ்திரேலியா (āstirēliyā)continent of Australia
Thai ออสเตรเลีย, ออสเตรเลีย
- ออสเตรเลีย (ɔ́s-dtree-liia)Commonwealth of Australia
- ออสเตรเลีย (ɔ́s-dtree-liia)continent of Australia
Turkish Avustralya, Avustralya
- AvustralyaCommonwealth of Australia
- Avustralyacontinent of Australia
Ukrainian Австра́лія
- Австра́лія (Avstrálija)Commonwealth of Australia
Urdu آسْٹْریلِیا, آسْٹْریلِیا
- آسْٹْریلِیا (āsṭreliyā)Commonwealth of Australia
- آسْٹْریلِیا (āsṭreliyā)continent of Australia
Vietnamese Úc, Úc Đại Lợi
- ÚcCommonwealth of Australia
- Úc Đại LợiCommonwealth of Australia
- Châu ÚcCommonwealth of Australia
- Úc ChâuCommonwealth of Australia
- Ô-xtrây-li-aCommonwealth of Australia
- nước ÚcCommonwealth of Australia
- AustraliaCommonwealth of Australia
- Châu Úccontinent of Australia
- Úc Châucontinent of Australia
- Úccontinent of Australia
Welsh Awstralia
- AwstraliaCommonwealth of Australia
Yiddish אויסטראַליע, אַווסטראַליע
- אויסטראַליע (oystralye)Commonwealth of Australia
- אַווסטראַליע (avstralye)Commonwealth of Australia
- אַווסטראַליע (avstralye)continent of Australia
Zulu i-Ostreliya
- i-OstreliyaCommonwealth of Australia
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with Australia
Cite this entry
Australia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Australia
“Australia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Australia. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Australia,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Australia.
Source: Australia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.