Mauritius

American  

[maw-rish-uhs, -rish-ee-uhs] / mɔˈrɪʃ əs, -ˈrɪʃ i əs /

noun

1. an island in the Indian Ocean, E of Madagascar. 720 sq. mi. (1,865 sq. km).

2. a republic consisting of this island and dependencies: formerly a British colony. 809 sq. mi. (2,095 sq. km). Port Louis.

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Mauritius British  

/ məˈrɪʃəs /

noun

1. Former name (1715–1810): Île-de-France.  an island and state in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar: originally uninhabited, it was settled by the Dutch (1638–1710) then abandoned; taken by the French in 1715 and the British in 1810; became an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1968. It is economically dependent on sugar. Official language: English; a French creole is widely spoken. Religion: Hindu majority, large Christian minority. Currency: rupee. Capital: Port Louis. Pop: 1 322 238 (2013 est). Area: 1865 sq km (720 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• Mauritian
  adjective

Example Sentences

The absence of Itoje, who recently posted pictures of himself on holiday in Mauritius to social media, opens opportunities for others in the second row.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

In messages between Lord Mandelson and then-chief of communications at No 10, Lord Matthew Doyle, the former ambassador raised concerns about the UK's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Famous examples include the giant tortoises of the Galapagos and the extinct Dodo of Mauritius.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2026

Then there is the reality of wading ashore on islands left to the wind, sun and rain for half a century—and leaving Mauritius, where the malls are full and highways smooth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

As in British Guiana, Trinidad, and Mauritius, Indians were first brought to Natal to cut cane.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson