Australian

1 of 2

adjective

Aus·​tra·​lian ȯ-ˈstrāl-yən How to pronounce Australian (audio)
ä-, 
ə-
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the continent or commonwealth of Australia, its inhabitants, or the languages spoken there
2
: of, relating to, or being a biogeographic region that comprises Australia, the islands north of it from Celebes eastward, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Polynesia

Australian

2 of 2

noun

1
: a native or inhabitant of the Australian commonwealth
2
: a group of about 200 languages spoken by the Aboriginal inhabitants of Australia

Examples of Australian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
At 21, the Australian filmmaker has already made six features — in just four years. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Aug. 2025 An Australian study of electric dirt bike injuries found that most patients required ambulance transport and over a quarter sustained fractures. — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
The difference in level was so brutal that after losing the first set the Australian asked a fan to replace him on the court. — Sybille De La Hamaide, Reuters, 3 Aug. 2024 The figure represents the largest payout ever at a Grand Slam, significantly better than the reward at the sport’s other three majors: Wimbledon’s $4 million, the French Open’s $3 million and the Australian Open’s $2.2 million (using the current exchange rates). — Sofia Chierchio, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Australian

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Australian was in 1693

Phrases Containing Australian

Rhymes for Australian

See All Rhymes for Australian

Browse Nearby Words

Australia Day
Australian
Australiana
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Australian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Australian. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Australian

adjective
Aus·​tra·​lian
ȯ-ˈstrāl-yən, 
ä-
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Australia or its people
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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