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Glite Dictionary
Australian capital

Australian capital

3.1
A city in southeast Australia that is the country's capital, Canberra
  • noun
translation icon : capital australiana
  • After moving to the Australian capital, she quickly adjusted to life in Canberra.

Examples

  • Many tourists visit the Australian capital to see Parliament House and Lake Burley Griffin.

  • Canberra is the Australian capital.

  • The Australian capital is known for its modern architecture and planned layout.

  • The Australian capital is known for its beautiful parks.

  • The Australian capital, Canberra, is known for its beautiful parks and national institutions.

  • When visiting Australia, many tourists explore the sites in its capital, Canberra.

  • The Australian capital is located in the Australian Capital Territory, nestled between Sydney and Melbourne.

Synonyms

Canberra
vsAustralian capital
8 3.1

The capital city of Australia in the southeast of the country

is a descriptive phrase rather than the city's proper name

Surface Forms

Australian capital singular
Australian capitals plural

Morphology

Australian + capital

The phrase combines 'Australian' (related to Australia) with 'capital' (the city where a nation's government is based), so a learner who knows both words will readily infer it means the capital city of Australia (Canberra). This adjectival + noun composition is a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern, making the meaning directly derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Australian capital comes from the decision to build Canberra as the new city for Australia's government when Sydney and Melbourne could not agree. That's why capital here means the city where the country's government meets.