Switzerland

American

[swit-ser-luhnd] / ˈswɪt sər lənd /

noun

a republic in central Europe. 15,944 sq. mi. (41,294 sq. km). Bern.

Switzerland British

/ ˈswɪtsələnd /

noun

Latin name: Helvetia. German name: Schweiz. Italian name: Svizzera. French name: Suisse. a federal republic in W central Europe: the cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden formed a defensive league against the Hapsburgs in 1291, later joined by other cantons; gained independence in 1499; adopted a policy of permanent neutrality from 1516; a leading centre of the Reformation in the 16th century. It lies in the Jura Mountains and the Alps, with a plateau between the two ranges. Official languages: German, French, and Italian; Romansch minority. Religion: mostly Protestant and Roman Catholic. Currency: Swiss franc. Capital: Bern. Pop: 7 996 026 (2013 est). Area: 41 288 sq km (15 941 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Switzerland Cultural

Republic in central Europe, bordered by France to the west, Germany to the north, Liechtenstein and Austria to the east, and Italy to the east and south. Its capital is Bern, and its largest city is Zurich.

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It is famous for its watchmaking industry and its milk chocolate.

Known for its strict neutrality, Switzerland maintained armed neutrality in both World War I and World War II.

Swiss banks allow depositors to be identified by a number known only to the depositor and a few bank officials; private fortunes can therefore be kept secret.

Example Sentences

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Switzerland

“If you fall and get back up, you’re going to be stronger the next time,” he said of his philosophy during a phone conversation from Switzerland.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

Earlier in October, one woman was confirmed to have the disease in the country but was flown to Switzerland for further treatment.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

Other strongholds, such Switzerland and Liechtenstein, together make up around 12%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

The monitoring program is based at ETH Zurich and the universities of Fribourg and Zurich in Switzerland.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026

While consulting for CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland, he created the World Wide Web and posted the first Web site in 1991.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023