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

Derived Forms

• Mauritian
  adjective

Example Sentences

In messages between Lord Mandelson and then-chief of communications at No 10, Lord Matthew Doyle, the former ambassador raised concerns about the UK's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Famous examples include the giant tortoises of the Galapagos and the extinct Dodo of Mauritius.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2026

He ended up working on fishing boats out of Mauritius.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

In 2019, the International Court of Justice recommended that Britain hand the archipelago to Mauritius.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 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