Kuwait

American  

[koo-weyt] / kʊˈweɪt /

noun

1. a sovereign monarchy in northeastern Arabia, on the northwest coast of the Persian Gulf: formerly a British protectorate. About 8,000 sq. mi. (20,720 sq km).

2. a seaport in and the capital of the monarchy of Kuwait.

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Kuwait British  

/ kʊˈweɪt /

noun

1. a state on the NW coast of the Persian Gulf: came under British protection in 1899 and gained independence in 1961; invaded by Iraq in 1990; liberated by US-led UN forces 1991 in the Gulf War: mainly desert. The economy is dependent on oil. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: Muslim. Currency: dinar. Capital: Kuwait. Pop: 2 695 316 (2013 est). Area: 24 280 sq km (9375 sq miles)

2. the capital of Kuwait: a port on the Persian Gulf. Pop: 1 225 000 (2005 est)

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Kuwait Cultural  

1. Independent kingdom on the northeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordered by Iraq to the north and west and Saudi Arabia to the south.

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A major petroleum producer, Kuwait possesses about one-fifth of the world's oil reserves. It is a leading member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

In 1990, Kuwait was invaded by Iraq; in 1991, Iraqi forces were expelled by a coalition of United Nations forces led by the United States. (See also Persian Gulf War.)

Other Word Forms

• anti-Kuwait
  adjective
• pro-Kuwait
  adjective

Example Sentences

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait lifted restrictions on the U.S. military’s use of their bases and airspace, removing a hurdle for President Trump’s Strait of Hormuz operation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

The end of the U.S.’s global oil dominance was sealed in 1949 when Venezuela, with the world’s largest reserves, asked to have a chat with Middle East exporters Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

Along with Qatar, damage has also been reported in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

In a statement, the group of oil-producing nations — including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman — said it would raise output by 188,000 barrels a day.

From MarketWatch • May 3, 2026

But most importantly, there was a letter—the letter, the one from Uncle Wood when he was heading for Kuwait, a crinkled piece of paper with blue writing on it.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds