Benin
Americannoun
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Formerly Dahomey. a republic in W Africa: formerly part of French West Africa; gained independence in 1960. 44,290 sq. mi. (114,711 sq. km). Porto Novo.
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Bight of, a bay in N Gulf of Guinea in W Africa.
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a former native kingdom in W Africa: now incorporated into Nigeria.
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a river in S Nigeria, flowing into the Bight of Benin.
noun
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Former name (until 1975): Dahomey. a republic in W Africa, on the Bight of Benin , a section of the Gulf of Guinea: in the early 19th century a powerful kingdom, famed for its women warriors; became a French colony in 1893, gaining independence in 1960. It consists chiefly of coastal lagoons and swamps in the south, a fertile plain and marshes in the centre, and the Atakora Mountains in the northwest. Official language: French. Religion: animist majority. Currency: franc. Capital: Porto Novo (the government is based in Cotonou). Pop: 9 877 292 (2013 est). Area: 112 622 sq km (43 474 sq miles)
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a former kingdom of W Africa, powerful from the 14th to the 17th centuries: now a province of S Nigeria: noted for its bronzes
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There’s also an opportunity for deeper security partnerships with other nearby countries, including Mauritania, Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
Seba was born in France to parents from Benin and is a prominent figure with 1.5 million followers online.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Benin, a former French colony, subsequently issued an international warrant for his arrest for supporting the failed coup.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Nicknamed "RoW" by supporters, he was born on June 20, 1976 in Lokossa in southwestern Benin, near the border with Togo.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
In the courts and squares of the great cities ambassadors from Brasil and Benin, from Eireland and Corea mingled with tabaco sellers, with commedia players from Bergamo, with dealers in fortune bonds.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
