Yemen
Americannoun
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Formerly Southern Yemen. Republic of Yemen, a country in southern Arabia, formed in 1990 by the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. 207,000 sq. mi. (536,130 sq. km). Sanʿa. Aden.
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Also called North Yemen. a former country in southwestern Arabia: since 1990 a part of the Republic of Yemen. Sanʿa.
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Also called South Yemen. a former country in southern Arabia: since 1990 a part of the Republic of Yemen. Aden.
noun
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Northern Yemen became an independent country after World War I.
The two Yemens were reunified as a result of the democratic reforms of the Soviet Union and its satellite countries in 1990.
Southern Yemen won independence from Britain in 1967 and became the world's only communist Arab state.
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.
In Yemen, the yearly figure rose by more than a third, from at least 38 to at least 51, it added.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
It is now sailing in the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia, and is expected to anchor in Somali waters in the coming hours.
From BBC • May 2, 2026
Washington has in the past accused the Chinese company Chang Guang Satellite Technology of aiding parties hostile to the U.S., including Houthi rebels in Yemen and Russian fighters in Ukraine—allegations the company has denied.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
Reports of civilian casualties from U.S. operations also muddy the death tolls, especially in Somalia and Yemen.
From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026
His dad’s family is Ashkenazi, and on his mom’s side are Jewish refugees from Yemen.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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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.