Rhodesia

R1H4O1D2E1S1I1A1
UK/ɹəʊˈdiːʃə/US/ɹoʊˈdiːʒə/

proper noun

A former country in Southern Africa, in what is now Zimbabwe, originally called Southern Rhodesia, named after its founder, Cecil Rhodes.

Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

Rhodesia1

proper noun
  1. historicalA former country in Southern Africa, in what is now Zimbabwe, originally called Southern Rhodesia, named after its founder, Cecil Rhodes.First known use used from 1965 to 1979

    If you did that in Rhodesia, you could be punished with many years in prison.

    2006, Tsitsi Dangarembga, The Book of Not, Faber & Faber Limited (2021), page 158
    1 more example

    After independence, Rhodesia changed its name to Zimbabwe, Nyasaland to Malawi, and Bechuanaland to Botswana.

    2018 April 20, Bard Wilkinson, “Absolute monarch renames Swaziland ‘eSwatini’”, in CNN
  2. historicalA historical region of Southern Africa, the area now occupied by Zimbabwe and Zambia.First known use used from 1895 to 1964

Rhodesia2

proper noun
  1. A village and civil parish in Bassetlaw district, Nottinghamshire, England (OS grid ref SK5680).

Origin

Rhodesia · proper noun

From Rhodes + -ia, after Cecil Rhodes, director of the British South Africa Company.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhodesia · proper noun

Named after G. Preston Rhodes, chairman of a colliery company.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans Rhodesië
  • Rhodesiëhistorical name of Zimbabwe
Chinese Mandarin 羅德西亞 /罗德西亚
  • 羅德西亞 /罗德西亚 (Luódéxīyà, Luódéxīyǎ)historical name of Zimbabwe
Danish Rhodesia, Rhodesia
  • Rhodesiahistorical name of Zimbabwe
  • Rhodesiathe area now occupied by Zimbabwe and Zambia
Dutch Rhodesië
  • Rhodesiëhistorical name of Zimbabwe
Finnish Rhodesia
  • Rhodesiahistorical name of Zimbabwe
French Rhodésie
  • Rhodésiehistorical name of Zimbabwe
German Rhodesien
  • Rhodesienhistorical name of Zimbabwe
Hindi रोडेशिया
  • रोडेशिया (roḍeśiyā)historical name of Zimbabwe
Irish an Róidéis
  • an Róidéishistorical name of Zimbabwe
Italian Rhodesia
  • Rhodesiahistorical name of Zimbabwe
Japanese ローデシア
  • ローデシア (Rōdeshia)historical name of Zimbabwe
Korean 로디지아
  • 로디지아 (Rodijia)historical name of Zimbabwe
Lithuanian Rodezija, Rodezija
  • Rodezijahistorical name of Zimbabwe
  • Rodezijathe area now occupied by Zimbabwe and Zambia
Portuguese Rodésia
  • Rodésiahistorical name of Zimbabwe
Romanian Rhodesia
  • Rhodesiahistorical name of Zimbabwe
Russian Роде́зия, Роде́зия
  • Роде́зия (Rodɛ́zija)historical name of Zimbabwe
  • Роде́зия (Rodɛ́zija)the area now occupied by Zimbabwe and Zambia
Spanish Rodesia, Rodesia
  • Rodesiahistorical name of Zimbabwe
  • Rodesiathe area now occupied by Zimbabwe and Zambia
Swedish Rhodesia, Rhodesia
  • Rhodesiahistorical name of Zimbabwe
  • Rhodesiathe area now occupied by Zimbabwe and Zambia
Cite this entry
APA

Rhodesia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rhodesia

MLA

“Rhodesia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rhodesia. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Rhodesia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rhodesia.

Source: Rhodesia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.