antipodean

[ an-tip-uh-dee-uhn ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or originating from places on the opposite side of the globe, especially Australia and New Zealand; antipodal:

   One can only assume that an inch-long European cockroach is of little concern to a woman accustomed to antipodean spiders the size of dinner plates.

2. directly or diametrically opposite; antipodal:

   The vector map includes lines that pass through the antipodean meridian.

noun

1. someone who lives in or comes from the opposite side of the globe, especially Australia or New Zealand:

   As the flooding disaster follows hot on the heels of Australia’s droughts and fires, we antipodeans wonder what we've done to have these natural disasters visited upon us.

Word History and Origins

Origin of antipodean¹

antipode ( def ) + -an ( def )

Example Sentences

He'll be bringing his antipodean vibes to the festival.

From BBC

“Summerland” often willfully evokes an antipodean “Gatsby,” only with rugby clubs, cocaine and flimsier character motivations.

From New York Times

It was good to be from Down Under at the 76th annual Academy Awards, held Feb. 29, 2004 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood: Not only did New Zealander Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” sweep the evening with a record-tying 11 awards … but even when “LOTR” wasn’t a big winner, antipodean folks often walked away with the statues.

From Los Angeles Times

In the meantime, enjoy the holidays — and don’t hesitate to send us your own examples of antipodean wonder.

From New York Times

Falling oil prices and a faltering economic recovery in China have also kept a lid on the Antipodean currencies.

From Reuters