| tasmania | An island south of Australia and the smallest state of the commonwealth. Its capital is hobart. It was discovered and named van diemen's island in 1642 by abel tasman, a dutch navigator, in honor of the dutch governor-general of the dutch east indian colonies. It was renamed for the discoverer in 1853. In 1803 it was taken over by great britain and was used as a penal colony. It was granted government in 1856 and federated as a state in 1901. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| tasmanian | Of or pertaining to Tasmania, or Van Diemen's Land. N. A native or inhabitant of Tasmania; specifically (Ethnol), in the plural, the race of men that formerly inhabited Tasmania, but is now extinct. Tasmanain cider tree. <botany> A savage carnivorous marsupial. Synonym: zebra wolf. See Zebra wolf, under Wolf. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |