Australasian

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the region that includes Australia, New Zealand, and neighboring islands in the Pacific Ocean
2. Pertaining to the diverse cultural, geographical, and ecological characteristics of Australia and its surrounding areas
3. Describing the unique flora, fauna, and indigenous cultures found in Australia and New Zealand and their adjacent islands

Etymology: "Australasian" is a plain formation: the noun "Australasia" with the adjective-forming suffix "-an" added to it. The suffix itself has a long pedigree, passing from Latin "-anus" through Old French "-ain" into Middle English as "-an," and English has used it for centuries to turn place names into adjectives describing people, things, and places. The base word "Australasia" is the older and more interesting piece. It was coined in the nineteenth century to group Australia with New Zealand and the nearby islands of the southwest Pacific, and its meaning has always shifted with the speaker. Its own components are "Australis" (southern, from Latin) and "Asia," so the name literally means something like "southern Asia," a reminder that European mapmakers once imagined a large southern land mass linked to the east.

Synonyms: Australian, Oceanic