Austria

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈɒs.tɹi.É™/, /ˈɔː.stɹi.É™/
• US IPA: /ˈɑs.tɹi.É™/, /ˈɔː.stɹi.É™/

Origin

From Latin Austria; a Latinization of ostar ("eastern"), from Proto-Germanic *austra ("eastern"), from the Proto-Indo-European *aus- ("to shine") (see aurora, dawn). The Latin is short for (Marchia) austriaca ("eastern borderland"). More at eastern.

Distantly cognate to Australia — same proto-Indo-European root, but via Latin where it came to mean “south” rather than “east”. Compare also Austrasie.

Full definition of Austria

Proper noun

1. A country in Central Europe, a member state of the European Union. Official name: Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich).

Related terms

• Austria-Hungary
• Austrian
• Austro-Hungarian

Anagrams

• Asturia