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

A surge in arrests of suspected foreign scammers in Sri Lanka has authorities concerned that the island is fast becoming a hub for online crime, following sweeping crackdowns in hotspots Cambodia and Myanmar.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

Long View India has more fiscal capacity, larger inventories and more diversified suppliers than its poorer neighbors such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, so it is unlikely to face the same shortages.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

The world's largest shipping company, Swiss-based MSC, has already rerouted ships off Greece and Sri Lanka to protect whales.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

After the off-field problems in Australia, England imposed a midnight curfew for the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup.

From BBC • May 11, 2026

Hela is the native name for the country of Sri Lanka, where activists carry signs demanding “Justice for the Hela Nation.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot