Sri Lanka

American

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

noun

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

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

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

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Sri Lanka

The case sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka, spurring diplomatic efforts to seek clemency.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

He spent some time based in the Gulf before going on to Sri Lanka, Burma and Singapore.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Anojan was prosecuted after a dispute on social media following an incident that took place during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

India's men hammered Sri Lanka by 124 runs after Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets in the semi-finals.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 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

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023