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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.


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)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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


Discover More

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And Sri Lanka's leading technology firm WSO2 made working from home mandatory for its 500 employees on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

From Barron's

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos declared a state of "national energy emergency", citing risks to domestic supplies, and Sri Lanka ordered street lights, neon signs and billboard lighting to be switched off.

From Barron's

Sri Lanka has just emerged from a financial crisis which, in 2022, saw it run out of foreign reserves and unable to import essential items and buy enough fuel.

From BBC

Sri Lanka's private bus services ground to a near standstill on Monday after operators went on strike demanding a fare revision to pay for rising fuel costs.

From BBC

England used a specialist fielding coach during the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka and T20 World Cup, though Key confirmed additions to the backroom staff would continue on an ad hoc basis.

From BBC