area and region share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. area means “a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)”. region means “the extended spatial location of something”. area is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈɛɹiə/
1.n.a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)
“it was a mountainous area”
2.n.a subject of study
“it was his area of specialization”
3.n.a part of an animal that has a special function or is supplied by a given artery or nerve
“in the abdominal region”
| area | region | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛɹiə/ | /ˈɹidʒən/ |
| Said | ER-ee-uh | REE-juhn |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 6 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | country | part |
Full entry for area · Full entry for region · More comparisons
/ˈɹidʒən/
1.n.the extended spatial location of something
“the farming regions of France”
2.n.a part of an animal that has a special function or is supplied by a given artery or nerve
“in the abdominal region”
3.n.a large indefinite location on the surface of the Earth
“penguins inhabit the polar regions”