# Asia

/ˈeɪʒə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/asia
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the continent

noun · CEFR A1

the largest continent on Earth, home to countries like China, India, and Japan.

For teachers: the largest continent, situated in the eastern and northern hemispheres, bounded by the Arctic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

- Many different cultures and languages are found across the continent of Asia.
- Economic growth across Asia has significantly altered global trade patterns over the last three decades.

### 2. a person's name

noun · CEFR B2

a name given to a girl or woman.

For teachers: a female given name, originally derived from the name of the continent.

- Asia and her brother are coming over for dinner tonight.
- The name Asia saw a surge in popularity in the United States during the late twentieth century.

### 3. Roman province

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a region in the ancient Roman Empire located in what is now Turkey.

For teachers: an administrative region of the Roman Empire located in western Anatolia.

- In ancient times, Asia was a wealthy province of the Roman Empire.
- The Roman province of Asia was established after Attalus III bequeathed his kingdom to Rome in 133 BC.

### 4. Greek mythology

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a character in ancient Greek stories, often described as a daughter of the ocean.

For teachers: a figure in Greek mythology, specifically an Oceanid and the mother of Prometheus.

- In the old myths, Asia was the mother of the giant Atlas.
- Hesiod identifies Asia as one of the three thousand Oceanids, the daughters of Oceanus and Tethys.

### 5. an asteroid

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a large rock in space that orbits the sun.

For teachers: a large main-belt asteroid discovered in 1861, formally designated as 67 Asia.

- Astronomers used a telescope to track the movement of the asteroid Asia.
- The asteroid 67 Asia orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter within the main asteroid belt.

## Examples

- Many different languages are spoken across Asia.
- The trade agreement aims to strengthen economic ties between countries in Southeast Asia and the rest of the world.
- Geopolitical analysts often focus on the rapid urbanisation occurring across Asia as a primary driver of global economic shifts in the twenty-first century.

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