Sri Lanka

American  

[sree lahng-kuh, lang-kuh, shree] / ˌsri ˈlɑŋ kə, ˈlæŋ kə, ˌʃri /

noun

1. an island republic in the Indian Ocean, south of India: a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 25,332 sq. mi. (65,610 sq. km). Colombo.

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Sri Lanka British  

/ ˌsriː ˈlæŋkə /

noun

1. Official name (since 1978): Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.  Former name (until 1972): Ceylon.  a republic in S Asia, occupying the island of Ceylon: settled by the Sinhalese from S India in about 550 _bc ; became a British colony 1802; gained independence in 1948, becoming a republic within the Commonwealth in 1972. Exports include tea, cocoa, cinnamon, and copra. Official languages: Sinhalese and Tamil; English is also widely spoken. Religion: Hinayana Buddhist majority. Currency: Sri Lanka rupee. Capital: Colombo (administrative), Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative). Parts of the coast suffered badly in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Pop: 21 675 648 (2013 est). Area: 65 610 sq km (25 332 sq miles)

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Sri Lanka Cultural  

1. Formerly Ceylon, now an island republic in the Indian Ocean just southeast of India.

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Marked by hostility between its Buddhist Sinhalese majority and Hindu Tamil minority (see Buddhism and Hinduism).

A British colony since 1796, the island became independent in 1948.

Other Word Forms

• Sri Lankan adjective

Example Sentences

The cyclone struck as Sri Lanka was emerging from its worst-ever economic meltdown in 2022, when it ran out of foreign exchange reserves to pay for essential imports such as food, fuel and medicines.

From Barron's

Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka last month, caused an estimated $4.1 billion in direct physical damage to buildings, agriculture and critical infrastructure, according to a World Bank report released Monday.

From Barron's

The 10th edition of the tournament, which will be hosted by Sri Lanka and India, will feature 20 nations.

From Barron's

Elephants are considered sacred in Sri Lanka, where the majority of the population is Buddhist.

From BBC

Elephants are considered sacred in Sri Lanka and are protected by law, but farmers and residents in remote villages sometimes attack wild elephants that destroy crops.

From Barron's