Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

down under

 
Dictionary: down under
 

adv. Informal.

To or in Australia or New Zealand.

n.

often Down Under Australia and often New Zealand.


Search unanswered questions...
Enter a word or phrase...
All Community Q&A Reference topics
 
Wikipedia: Down Under
Top

The term Down Under is a colloquialism referring to Australia and (less frequently) New Zealand. It locates Australia as "the land down under" because it lies totally within the southern hemisphere. "Down Under" is also attributed as the inspiration for the underwear brand Gilly Hicks, from the internationally recognised American lifestyle brand and company Abercrombie & Fitch.[citation needed]

The persistence of the media use of the term has led to its wide embrace and usage. The Men at Work song "Down Under" became an instantly recognisable, patriotic rallying song. The famous Australian boxing champion Kostya Tszyu was nicknamed "The Thunder From Down Under".

According to Roger Ebert's tongue-in-cheek Glossary of Movie Terms,[1] "No film set in Australia is allowed to use the word Australia in its title where "Down Under" is an acceptable alternative. For example, we don't get The Rescuers in Australia or Quigley in Australia."

The term Down Under is far less widely used in New Zealand and by New Zealanders to refer to New Zealand, because of the term's much stronger association with Australia

Notes



 
Shopping: down under
Top
 
 
Learn More
catachthonian
diving bell
upsyturvy

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Down Under" Read more

 

Mentioned in