Meanings
Wallace Line1
- A faunal boundary line that separates the ecozones of Asia and Wallacea, a transitional zone between Asia and Australia.
There are numerous species of bulbul in India, yet there are also numerous species of bulbul in China, Southeast Asia, and thence all the way eastwards to the Wallace Line.
2016, James Lambert, “Ornithonymy and Lexicographical Selection Criteria”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 30, number 1, pages 39–62Synonyms: Wallace's Line
Wallace line2
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA faunal boundary line that separates the ecozones of Asia and Wallacea, a transitional zone between Asia and Australia.
nounSynonym of Simson line.
Origin
Wallace Line · proper noun
From Wallace + line. Named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who noticed this clear division during his travels through the East Indies in the 19th century.
Full word history & related roots →Wallace line · noun
Named after William Wallace, who published the concept in 1799.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 華萊士線 /华莱士线
- 華萊士線 /华莱士线 (huáláishì xiàn)line that separates the ecozones of Asia and Wallacea
Portuguese linha de Wallace
- linha de Wallaceline that separates the ecozones of Asia and Wallacea
Cite this entry
Wallace Line. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wallace%20Line
“Wallace Line.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wallace%20Line. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Wallace Line,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wallace%20Line.
Source: Wallace Line on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.