Sulawesi

American

[soo-lah-wey-see] / ˌsu lɑˈweɪ si /

noun

an island in central Indonesia. 72,986 sq. mi. (189,034 sq. km).

Sulawesi British

/ ˌsuːləˈweɪsɪ /

noun

Also called: Celebes. an island in E Indonesia: mountainous and forested, with volcanoes and hot springs. Pop: 14 946 488 (2000). Area (including adjacent islands): 229 108 sq km (88 440 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

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.

One is a northern route through Sulawesi and the 'Spice Islands' toward New Guinea.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

"It is very likely that the people who made these paintings in Sulawesi were part of the broader population that would later spread through the region and ultimately reach Australia," Dr. Oktaviana said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

The ship's latest mission focuses on a seamount chain off Indonesia's Sulawesi island that scientists on board mapped last year.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Because Sulawesi lies on the northern sea route between mainland Asia and ancient Sahul, the dates have direct implications for assessing when the ancestors of Aboriginal Australians first arrived.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

A fire at a nursing home on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi late Sunday killed more 16 people and injured three, a local official said.

From Barron's • Dec. 29, 2025

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