"antipodes" means: The Southern Hemisphere.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
The Southern Hemisphere.
The loud, rapid, eager tones, the incessant motion, the intense vital activity manifested in speech and action, are the very antipodes of the quiet, unimpulsive, unanimated Malay.
For parents
"antipodes" means: The Southern Hemisphere.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"antipodes" means: The Southern Hemisphere.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
The place on the diametrically opposite side of the earth from a given point.
The loud, rapid, eager tones, the incessant motion, the intense vital activity manifested in speech and action, are the very antipodes of the quiet, unimpulsive, unanimated Malay.
Origin: From , from , from opposite + πόδες, plural of foot. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK
(UK, now, rare) Australia and New Zealand.
The loud, rapid, eager tones, the incessant motion, the intense vital activity manifested in speech and action, are the very antipodes of the quiet, unimpulsive, unanimated Malay.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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UK
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Tags
Other words near "antipodes" (A)
anti-jabberanti-Karenantilifeanti-marketeerantimemeantimiscegenationantipoolingantiquerantirentantirentismantisantisaloon
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