antipodean

[ an-tip-uh-dee-uhn ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or originating from places on the opposite side of the globe, especially Australia and New Zealand; antipodal:

   One can only assume that an inch-long European cockroach is of little concern to a woman accustomed to antipodean spiders the size of dinner plates.

2. directly or diametrically opposite; antipodal:

   The vector map includes lines that pass through the antipodean meridian.

noun

1. someone who lives in or comes from the opposite side of the globe, especially Australia or New Zealand:

   As the flooding disaster follows hot on the heels of Australia’s droughts and fires, we antipodeans wonder what we've done to have these natural disasters visited upon us.

Word History and Origins

Origin of antipodean¹

antipode ( def ) + -an ( def )

Example Sentences

An incident of our stay in Adelaide may serve to show the mental attitude of your average Antipodean.

From Project Gutenberg

It is full of excellent imported trout, which flourish well in these antipodean waters and attain a weight of six or seven pounds.

From Project Gutenberg

He is the antipodean agitator, and the acknowledged benefactor of his fellow colonists in their land of adoption.

From Project Gutenberg

And now a word about this antipodean land on which our unlucky hero looked out from the prison-ship.

From Project Gutenberg

Artificial lakes are made for the cultivation of fish caught in Antipodean streams.

From Project Gutenberg