South Pacific

American  

[south puh-sif-ik] / ˈsaʊθ pəˈsɪf ɪk /

noun

1. the region of the world that lies in the Southern Hemisphere of the Pacific Ocean, including all the coastal countries, islands, and archipelagos located there.

   expanding their commercial interests in the South Pacific.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the region of the world that lies in the Southern Hemisphere of the Pacific Ocean, often specifically to the South Pacific Ocean itself.

   studying the South Pacific trenches.

Etymology

Origin of South Pacific

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

Fiji's environment ministry on Thursday rejected a plan by an Australian billionaire to burn rubbish for energy in the South Pacific nation, after a backlash from traditional landowners and tourism operators.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

Located in the South Pacific roughly halfway between New Zealand and Peru, the islands are one of the most remote and sparsely populated places on Earth.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

On the even of the conflict in Iran, the South Pacific economy had faced uneven growth, high spare capacity and elevated unemployment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Researchers analyzed nearly 20 years of data from humpback whales that breed in the waters around New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026

In the spring of 1951, the lab staged Project Greenhouse, a test of thermonuclear technology at the South Pacific coral atoll of Eniwetok.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik