congo

¹ American  

[kong-goh] / ˈkɒŋ goʊ /

noun

1. congou.

---

Congo ² American  

[kong-goh] / ˈkɒŋ goʊ /

noun

1. Formerly Middle Congo.  Formerly French Congo,.  People's Republic of the Congo, a republic in central Africa, west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 132,046 sq. mi. (341,999 sq. km). Brazzaville.

2.  Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Formerly Zaire.   Belgian Congo.   Congo Free State.  Democratic Republic of the Congo, a republic in central Africa. 905,568 sq. mi. (2,345,410 sq. km). Kinshasa.

3. Also called Zaire.  Congo River, a river in central Africa, flowing in a great loop from southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic. About 3,000 miles (4,800 km) long.

4. Kongo.

---

Congo British  

/ ˈkɒŋɡəʊ /

noun

1. Former names: Congo Free State.   Belgian Congo.   Congo-Kinshasa.   Zaïre.  a republic in S central Africa, with a narrow strip of land along the Congo estuary leading to the Atlantic in the west: Congo Free State established in 1885, with Leopold II of Belgium as absolute monarch; became the Belgian Congo colony in 1908; gained independence in 1960, followed by civil war and the secession of Katanga (until 1963); President Mobutu Sese Seko seized power in 1965; declared a one-party state in 1978, and was overthrown by rebels in 1997. The country consists chiefly of the Congo basin, with large areas of dense tropical forest and marshes, and the Mitumba highlands reaching over 5000 m (16 000 ft) in the east. Official language: French. Religion: Christian majority, animist minority. Currency: Congolese franc. Capital: Kinshasa. Pop: 75 507 308 (2013 est). Area: 2 344 116 sq km (905 063 sq miles)

2. another name for Congo-Brazzaville

3. Former Zaïrese name (1971–97): Zaïre.  the second longest river in Africa, rising as the Lualaba on the Katanga plateau in the Democratic Republic of Congo and flowing in a wide northerly curve to the Atlantic: forms the border between Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Length: about 4800 km (3000 miles). Area of basin: about 3 000 000 sq km (1 425 000 sq miles)

4. a variant spelling of Kongo

---

Other Word Forms

• trans-Congo adjective

Example Sentences

The tracks contain a cross pattern, a reference to the African dikenga, also known as the congo cosmogram, a chart that symbolizes the cycle of life from birth to the realm of the ancestors.

From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2023

Pedrito Martinez The Havana-born congo player and vocalist and his Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble perform songs from his recent album “Acertijos” in a concert filmed in November at Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y. 4:30 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2020

That day led to the Last Poets’ revelatory, self-titled 1970 debut of vitriolic black power poems spoken over the beat of a congo drum.

From The Guardian • May 18, 2018

He takes notes on a small pad as she ticks off her weekly menu: chicken bouillon Mondays, fish and rice Fridays, pwa congo whenever the pigeon peas are harvested.

From Washington Post

O Dear Sir—Nothing of the kind—no—no—a few Presents now and then—china, shawls, congo Tea, Avadavats—and indian Crackers—little more, believe me.

From School for Scandal by Sheridan, Richard Brinsley