• oversea (British)

From earlier oversea, equivalent to oversea +‎ -s. Compare West Frisian oerseesk, Dutch overzees, German Übersee, Danish oversøisk.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌəʊvəˈsiːz/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌoʊvɚˈsiːz/
• Homophones: oversees
• Rhymes: -iːz

overseas (not comparable)

1. Abroad, especially across the sea.

   Synonyms: transmarine, (archaic) ultramarine

   Antonym: domestic

   Overseas branches of the company are doing well.

2. Used with ethnicities, nationalities, or religious affiliations: living (being resident) in a foreign country.

   Overseas Chinese communities exist in North and South America.

   • 2016 October 18, Stephen Curry, “Why the Higher Education and Research Bill must be amended”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     The reputations of our universities and our research base are already under threat because of the fallout from the EU referendum result, which is making the UK an unfriendlier place for overseas scholars and students, as well as cutting off access to an important stream of research funding and to a vibrant and well-developed ecosystem for collaborative work.

3. Across a sea; to or in an area across a sea.

   Her overseas trip went well.

overseas (not comparable)

1. Abroad.

   He emigrated and now lives overseas.

2. Across a sea; to an area across a sea.

   She travelled overseas.

   • 1988 November 8, R.E.M., “Orange Crush”, in Green:

     (We are agents of the free.) I've had my fun,
     and now it's time to serve
     your conscience overseas.
     Coming in fast, over me...