Sri Lanka

American  

[sree lahng-kuh, lang-kuh, shree] / ˌsri ˈlɑŋ kə, ˈlæŋ kə, ˌʃri /

noun

1. an island republic in the Indian Ocean, south of India: a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 25,332 sq. mi. (65,610 sq. km). Colombo.

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Sri Lanka British  

/ ˌsriː ˈlæŋkə /

noun

1. Official name (since 1978): Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.  Former name (until 1972): Ceylon.  a republic in S Asia, occupying the island of Ceylon: settled by the Sinhalese from S India in about 550 _bc ; became a British colony 1802; gained independence in 1948, becoming a republic within the Commonwealth in 1972. Exports include tea, cocoa, cinnamon, and copra. Official languages: Sinhalese and Tamil; English is also widely spoken. Religion: Hinayana Buddhist majority. Currency: Sri Lanka rupee. Capital: Colombo (administrative), Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative). Parts of the coast suffered badly in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Pop: 21 675 648 (2013 est). Area: 65 610 sq km (25 332 sq miles)

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Sri Lanka Cultural  

1. Formerly Ceylon, now an island republic in the Indian Ocean just southeast of India.

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Marked by hostility between its Buddhist Sinhalese majority and Hindu Tamil minority (see Buddhism and Hinduism).

A British colony since 1796, the island became independent in 1948.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Sri Lankan
  adjective

Example Sentences

The term can include people with roots in dozens of countries from Sri Lanka to China’s border with Russia to Pacific islands, with completely different exposure patterns and cuisines.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

The nocturnal animals - native to India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal - are about half the size of domestic cats, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

As an immigrant from Sri Lanka, I know how great this country is.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

Officials say the networks operating in Sri Lanka target victims across Asia, including in India, Vietnam and the Philippines, but there are growing concerns Sri Lankans could be next.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

If Andhra Pradesh, just north of us, was alien, if Sri Lanka, a monkey’s hop across a strait, was the dark side of the moon, imagine what Canada was.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel