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

Taiwan announced Tuesday that Lai was postponing his trip to Eswatini -- the island's only diplomatic ally in Africa -- after "Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unexpectedly and without prior notice revoked the charter's overflight permits."

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Downing Street said the government would continue to "engage with the US and Mauritius".

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

Mauritius imports every liter of fuel it consumes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

The ICJ ruled that Britain's 1965 separation of the Chagos Islands from Mauritius was unlawful and stated the UK must end its administration as rapidly as possible.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

“We don’t have enough money to even consider moving house, but we do have enough money for a holiday in Mauritius or Bali?”

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins