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.

---

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)

---

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.

---

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

Canada are the first team to avoid defeat against England since New Zealand beat them in the 2022 World Cup final, but John Mitchell's side are now unbeaten in 40 Tests.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

In Australia and New Zealand, the information appears on other GLP-1 labels, too, including Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

The Loop tour began in January in New Zealand, and carried on through Australia and parts of Central and South America before heading to the U.S. and Canada.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Grono and researchers from Australia, France, and New Zealand examined phytoliths recovered from buried sediments inside Cloggs Cave.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

New Zealand, meanwhile, is part of the immense Indian Ocean plate even though it is nowhere near the Indian Ocean.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson