New Zealand

American  

[zee-luhnd] / ˈzi lənd /

noun

1. a country in the South Pacific, southeast of Australia, consisting of North Island, South Island, and adjacent small islands: a member of the Commonwealth of Nations: 103,416 sq. mi. (267,845 sq. km). Wellington.

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New Zealand British  

/ ˈziːlənd /

noun

1. an independent dominion within the Commonwealth, occupying two main islands (the North Island and the South Island), Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, and a number of minor islands in the SE Pacific: original Māori inhabitants ceded sovereignty to the British government in 1840; became a dominion in 1907; a major world exporter of dairy products, wool, and meat. Official languages: English and Māori. Religion: Christian majority, nonreligious and Māori minorities. Currency: New Zealand dollar. Capital: Wellington. Pop: 4 365 113 (2013 est). Area: 270 534 sq km (104 454 sq miles)

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New Zealand Cultural  

1. Nation in the southern Pacific Ocean containing two principal islands — North Island and South Island — and several small outlying islands. Its capital is Wellington, and its largest city is Auckland.

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Discover More

New Zealand is known for its sheep industry and spectacular scenery.

Other Word Forms

• New Zealander
  noun

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

New Zealand

Foran left Walmart in 2020 and returned to his birthplace to become head of Air New Zealand, before taking the Kroger CEO role in February.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Rana had previously clashed with New Zealand skipper Jeremy Coney.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

I finally watched it again on the plane to New Zealand to scout locations in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

New Zealand police came to the rescue of a seal crossing a busy road, helping the perplexed pinniped pup back safely into the water, they said Monday.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

Area is another obvious variable, ranging from the 100 acres of Anuta, the smallest permanently inhabited isolated Polynesian island, up to the 103,000 square miles of the minicontinent of New Zealand.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond