Netherlands
Americannoun
noun
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Also called: Holland. Dutch name: Nederland. a kingdom in NW Europe, on the North Sea: declared independence from Spain in 1581 as the United Provinces; became a major maritime and commercial power in the 17th century, gaining many overseas possessions; formed the Benelux customs union with Belgium and Luxembourg in 1948 and was a founder member of the Common Market, now the European Union. It is mostly flat and low-lying, with about 40 per cent of the land being below sea level, much of it on polders protected by dykes. Official language: Dutch. Religion: Christian majority, Protestant and Roman Catholic, large nonreligious minority. Currency: euro. Capital: Amsterdam, with the seat of government at The Hague. Pop: 16 805 037 (2013 est). Area: 41 526 sq km (16 033 sq miles)
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the kingdom of the Netherlands together with the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, esp as ruled by Spain and Austria before 1581; the Low Countries
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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.
Turkey will be tough to beat and while I know Belgium and the Netherlands are not exactly outsiders, they are not among the favourites either.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
On Tuesday, significant bond issuance from the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Finland and Italy might move yields.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Will the ICC waive his immunity in the Netherlands?
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
FuelCell said Monday that its first two carbon capture modules were on their way to the Netherlands.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
He stops in Brussels to see Vincent on his way back to the Netherlands.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
