Indo-Pacific

American  

[in-doh-puh-sif-ik] / ˈɪn doʊ pəˈsɪf ɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the areas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans off the coast of southeast Asia.

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noun

1. a proposed linguistic family including all the non-Austronesian languages of the Pacific peoples.

Indo-Pacific British  

adjective

1. of or relating to the region of the Indian and W Pacific Oceans off the coast of SE Asia

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noun

1. a hypothetical family of languages relating the languages of New Guinea other than Malayo-Polynesian. Tentative affiliations with Malayo-Polynesian or Australian languages have been suggested

Etymology

Origin of Indo-Pacific

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Australia's vast coastline and small population have spurred its focus on developing robot submarines and fighter jets, with a wary eye on China's naval build-up in the Indo-Pacific.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

The shift of Thaad assets to the Middle East represents a “conscious movement” toward strategy flexibility, said Derek Grossman, a former Pentagon official who worked on Indo-Pacific security issues.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

"We hope that this visit will also talk about the Indo-Pacific."

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

From Pakistan to Korea, no region on the planet is more dependent on Middle East energy than the Indo-Pacific.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

The explanation of this complete separation of the South-eastern marine fauna of Australia from that of the North-eastern or Indo-Pacific portion, may be explained by reference to the distribution of currents along the Australian shores.

From Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake, Commanded By the Late Captain Owen Stanley, R.N., F.R.S. Etc. During the Years 1846-1850. Including Discoveries and Surveys in New Guinea, the Louisiade Archipelago, Etc. to Which Is Added the Account of Mr. E.B. Kennedy's Expedition for the Exploration of the Cape York Peninsula. By John Macgillivray, F.R.G.S. Naturalist to the Expedition. — Volume 2 by MacGillivray, John