Austronesia

[ aw-stroh-nee-zhuh, -shuh ]

noun

1. the islands of the central and S Pacific.

Austronesia

/ ˌɒstrəʊˈniːʒə; -ʃə /

noun

1. the islands of the central and S Pacific, including Indonesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia

Word History and Origins

Origin of Austronesia¹

austro- + Greek nês ( os ) island + -ia -ia