Wallace's line

noun

Wal·​lace's line ˈwä-lə-səz- How to pronounce Wallace's line (audio)
: a hypothetical boundary that separates the highly distinctive faunas of the Asian and Australian biogeographic regions and passes between the islands of Bali and Lombok in Indonesia, between Borneo and Sulawesi, and between the Philippines and the Moluccas

Word History

Etymology

Alfred Russel Wallace

First Known Use

circa 1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Wallace's line was circa 1868

Dictionary Entries Near Wallace's line

Cite this Entry

“Wallace's line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wallace%27s%20line. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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