New Zealand

American

[zee-luhnd] / ˈzi lənd /

noun

a country in the South Pacific, southeast of Australia, consisting of North Island, South Island, and adjacent small islands: a member of the Commonwealth of Nations: 103,416 sq. mi. (267,845 sq. km). Wellington.

New Zealand British

/ ˈziːlənd /

noun

an independent dominion within the Commonwealth, occupying two main islands (the North Island and the South Island), Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, and a number of minor islands in the SE Pacific: original Māori inhabitants ceded sovereignty to the British government in 1840; became a dominion in 1907; a major world exporter of dairy products, wool, and meat. Official languages: English and Māori. Religion: Christian majority, nonreligious and Māori minorities. Currency: New Zealand dollar. Capital: Wellington. Pop: 4 365 113 (2013 est). Area: 270 534 sq km (104 454 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

New Zealand Cultural

Nation in the southern Pacific Ocean containing two principal islands — North Island and South Island — and several small outlying islands. Its capital is Wellington, and its largest city is Auckland.

Discover More

New Zealand is known for its sheep industry and spectacular scenery.

Other Word Forms

New Zealander noun

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"The Afghanistan game was massive in many respects because it could so easily have not gone our way and the pressure is really on us against New Zealand," Conrad said.

From BBC

"The win against New Zealand, even though a dead rubber, to get over the line was a great effort."

From BBC

Ardern's move has renewed a spotlight on New Zealand's battle to retain its best and brightest, as the country struggles with a lagging economy, a cost of living crisis and housing shortages.

From BBC

UK MPs are paid slightly more than their equivalents in France, Japan and New Zealand but less than those in Ireland, Italy, Canada, Australia, Germany and US, where annual salaries are more than £100,000.

From BBC

Jacks won the player of the match award in England's wins against Nepal, Italy, Sri Lanka and New Zealand for his efforts with both bat and ball.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023