Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The supercontinent of the Southern Hemisphere that, according to the theory of plate tectonics, broke up into India, Australia, Antarctica, Africa, and South America.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun Southern supercontinent, formed after the break up of Pangaea before the Triassic period, including most of the landmasses which make up today's continents of the southern hemisphere.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[After Gondwana, a region of central India, ultimately from Sanskrit Goṇḍavanam : goṇḍaḥ, Gond + vanam, forest.]

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Examples

  • The name Gondwana-Land was subsequently suggested by Professor

    More Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 2 Charles Darwin 1845

  • The three species that lived 100 million years ago on the southern continent known as Gondwana were recently unveiled by researchers Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago and Hans Larsson of McGill University in Montreal.

    Archive 2010-01-03 Bill Crider 2010

  • This suggests that, until 75 to 65 million years ago, the Seychelles were part of the enormous megacontinent called Gondwana that linked South America, Africa, Madagascar and India.

    The Fruit Hunters Adam Leith Gollner 2008

  • This suggests that, until 75 to 65 million years ago, the Seychelles were part of the enormous megacontinent called Gondwana that linked South America, Africa, Madagascar and India.

    The Fruit Hunters Adam Leith Gollner 2008

  • This suggests that, until 75 to 65 million years ago, the Seychelles were part of the enormous megacontinent called Gondwana that linked South America, Africa, Madagascar and India.

    The Fruit Hunters Adam Leith Gollner 2008

  • India it was known as Gondwana, an unexplored country of inaccessible mountains and impenetrable forests, inhabited by the savage tribes of Gonds from whom it took its name.

    The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India—Volume I (of IV) Robert Vane Russell 1894

  • The life of the coal mines which the Tata Company possess within one hundred miles of their works is estimated at two hundred years, and they form only a very small portion of the great carboniferous area known as the Gondwana measures.

    India, Old and New Valentine Chirol 1890

  • According to the scientists, Australia was once part of a much larger land mass called Gondwana, which included the modern continents of Africa, South America, Antarctica and the Indian subcontinent.

    Zee News : India National 2010

  • It turns out, these organisms have been around since 150 million years ago, when the supercontinent called Gondwana was just breaking up, according to new genetic research.

    Livescience.com 2010

  • It turns out, these organisms have been around since 150 million years ago, when the supercontinent called Gondwana was just breaking up, according to new genetic research.

    Livescience.com 2010

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