new zealander

noun

1. a country in the S Pacific, SE of Australia, consisting of North Island, South Island, and adjacent small islands: a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 103,416 sq. mi. (267,845 sq. km). Capital: Wellington.

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of New Zealand

noun

1. an independent dominion within the Commonwealth, occupying two main islands (the North Island and the South Island), Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, and a number of minor islands in the SE Pacific: original Māori inhabitants ceded sovereignty to the British government in 1840; became a dominion in 1907; a major world exporter of dairy products, wool, and meat. Official languages: English and Māori. Religion: Christian majority, nonreligious and Māori minorities. Currency: New Zealand dollar. Capital: Wellington. Pop: 4 365 113 (2013 est). Area: 270 534 sq km (104 454 sq miles)

from Dutch Nieuw Zeeland, literally “new sea land,” but chiefly a reference to the Dutch province of Zeeland. Discovered 1647 by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman and originally named Staaten Landt; the name was changed the following year by Dutch authorities. Nation in the southern Pacific Ocean containing two principal islands — North Island and South Island — and several small outlying islands. Its capital is Wellington, and its largest city is Auckland.