Australasia

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪʒə

Origin

The name was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes 1756. He derived it from the Latin for “south of Asia”

Full definition of Australasia

Proper noun

1. Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and neighbouring islands
2. all of Oceania

Usage notes

This is an ambiguous term, whose precise meaning varies considerably depending on its field of use

Derived terms

• Australasian