Melanesia
pronunciation
How to pronounce Melanesia in British English:
UK [ˌmeləˈni:zjə]
How to pronounce Melanesia in American English:
US [ˌmɛləˈniʒə, -ʃə]
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- Noun:
- the islands in the southwestern part of Oceania
Word Origin
- Melanesia
- one of three large divisions of Pacific islands, 1840, from a continental language, from melano- + nesos "island" (see Chersonese) + -ia. Modeled after Polynesia and meant to signify "the islands inhabited by blacks." La Melanesia comprende la grande isola Australia, e quelle degli arcipelaghi di Salomone, di Lapèrouse, di Quiros, e dei gruppi della Nuova Caledonia, di Norfolk, e della Diemenin. A cagione dei Neri Oceanici, che, quasi esclusivamente, ne popolano le regioni, questa parte della Oceania ebbe dai moderni geografi e viaggiatori (il Graberg, il Rienzi, il d'Urville, ec.) il nome di Melanesia. ["Corso di Geografia Universale," Firenze, 1839]
Example
- 1. The sexual life of savages in north-western melanesia .
- 2. Even though the sole fossil specimen was found in the mountains of siberia , contemporary humans from melanesia ( a region in the south pacific ) seem to be the most likely to harbor denisovan dna .
- 3. Monthly precipitation amounts were extremely heavy in eastern melanesia due to frequent occurrence of cyclones .
- 4. The primary focus is on the changing geography of east and southeast asia and melanesia , in particular papua new guinea .
- 5. The islands of the pacific ocean , including indonesia , melanesia , micronesia , and polynesia .