Austronesia
geographical name
Aus·tro·ne·sia
ˌȯ-strə-ˈnē-zhə
ˌä-,
-ˈnē-shə
1
the islands of the South Pacific
2
area extending from Madagascar through the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago to Hawaii and Easter Island
—a name applied to the region where Austronesian languages are spoken
Cite this Entry
“Austronesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Austronesia. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.
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