Meaning & use
Kiribati
Last updated
Meaning
proper nounproper
An island country in the central Pacific Ocean, made up of low coral atolls spread over a very large area of sea.
Grammar: Used without 'the' and takes a singular verb: Kiribati lies on the equator.
Patterns
- in Kiribati
- the people of Kiribati
Kiribati is one of the countries most threatened by rising sea levels.
We found Kiribati on the map between Hawaii and Fiji.
She wrote a school report on the climate challenges facing Kiribati.
Common combinations
- the Republic of Kiribati
- The Republic of Kiribati became independent in 1979.
- in Kiribati
- Many families in Kiribati depend on fishing.
- the capital of Kiribati
- South Tarawa is the capital of Kiribati.
- visit Kiribati
- Few tourists visit Kiribati because it is so remote.
Word family
- I-Kiribati noun/adjective
- a person from Kiribati, or relating to the country and its people
- Kiribati adjective
- used for the language or culture, as in the Kiribati language
Commonly confused: Kiribati or Kiribas?
Kiribati vs Kiribas
This is not a real spelling. The country is written Kiribati even though it is pronounced as if it ended in 's'.
Practice
How is the last syllable of Kiribati pronounced?
Choose one answer.
In the local spelling 'ti' stands for an 's' sound, so the word ends like 'bass'. 'Tee' is a tempting reading from the spelling but is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Kiribati”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.