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Definition of cairns

cairns

/kɛərnz/
cairns
Plural:cairns
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cairns Lexical Profile

cairns Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Australian A major coastal city in Far North Queensland, Australia, widely known as a tropical tourist destination and a primary gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.

2

Human-made stacks or mounds of rough stones, typically built as memorials, navigational landmarks, or trail markers.

Example

"Hikers often rely on stone cairns to find their way across the featureless alpine tundra when the trail disappears."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for cairns

• Rhymes for cairns

• Nearby Words

cain
cairn
cairngorms
cairns
cairo
cajole
cajun

Word Origin & Etymology

The common noun 'cairn' originates from the late 15th century, derived from Scottish Gaelic 'càrn' (meaning 'heap of stones' or 'rocky hill'). The Australian city of Cairns was founded in 1876 and named after William Wellington Cairns, a Governor of Queensland.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cairns. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cairns
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