New Zealand

noo-ZEE-luhnd/nu ˈzi.lənd/Saynyoo-ZEE-luhndUK/nju ˈziː.lənd//njʉː ˈzɪələnd/

5 meanings of New Zealand

1
proper noun
A country and archipelago in Oceania, lying to the east of Australia, with its capital at Wellington.
New Zealand consists of two main islands along with hundreds of smaller ones.
Several major films were shot in New Zealand because of its dramatic landscapes.
SimilarAotearoa
2
proper noun
The Realm of New Zealand, which includes the country itself along with the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, and the Ross Dependency.
Niueans are citizens of New Zealand even though their island governs its own affairs.
New Zealand stretches from the tropical atolls of Tokelau to the ice of the Ross Dependency.
3
nouncountable
A rabbit of a breed that originated in California, developed from rabbits imported from New Zealand.
She raises New Zealands for meat because they grow quickly and breed reliably.
The judge awarded best in show to a white New Zealand with a flawless coat.

Less common meanings

4
proper noun
A western suburb of Derby, Derbyshire, England (OS grid ref SK3336).
5
proper noun
A hamlet in Hilmarton parish, north-central Wiltshire, England (OS grid ref SU0177).

Practice

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Origin

A calque of Dutch Nieuw-Zeeland ("new Zeeland"), with nieuw translated as "new" and Zeeland respelled as Zealand to match the older exonym. It was named after the Dutch province of Zeeland, from Middle Dutch Sêelant, made up of zee ("sea") and land ("land").