Witwatersrand

American  

[wit-waw-terz-rand, -wot-erz-] / ˈwɪtˌwɔ tərzˌrænd, -ˌwɒt ərz- /

noun

1. a rocky ridge in southern Africa, in the Republic of South Africa, near Johannesburg.

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Witwatersrand British  

/ vətˈvɑːtərsˈrant, wɪtˈwɔːtəzˌrænd /

noun

1. Also called: the Rand.   the Reef.  a rocky ridge in NE South Africa: contains the richest gold deposits in the world, also coal and manganese; chief industrial centre is Johannesburg. Height: 1500–1800 m (5000–6000 ft)

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Example Sentences

Scientists at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, working with collaborators from Huzhou University, have uncovered a surprising feature in one of the most widely used tools in quantum optics.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026

In South Africa, according to the University of Witwatersrand, the top 0.1 percent owned over a quarter of wealth.

From Barron's • Nov. 28, 2025

About a year after Ezra’s find, the mining town of Randsburg sprang up around a big gold find — the town and the mine named optimistically for the immense Witwatersrand gold fields in South Africa.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2025

Other interpretations focus on the spiritual, rather than social, importance of the animals, said Sam Challis, who heads the Rock Art Research Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 27, 2024

The University of the Witwatersrand, known to all as “Wits,” is located in Braamfontein in north-central Johannesburg, and is considered by many to be the premier English-speaking university in South Africa.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela