Ecuador

American  

[ek-wuh-dawr] / ˈɛk wəˌdɔr /

noun

1. a republic in northwestern South America. 109,483 sq. mi. (283,561 sq. km). Quito.

---

Ecuador British  

/ ˈɛkwəˌdɔː /

noun

1. a republic in South America, on the Pacific: under the Incas when Spanish colonization began in 1532; gained independence in 1822; declared a republic in 1830. It consists chiefly of a coastal plain in the west, separated from the densely forested upper Amazon basin (Oriente) by ranges and plateaus of the Andes. Official language: Spanish; Quechua is also widely spoken. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: US dollar. Capital: Quito. Pop: 15 439 429 (2013 est). Area: 283 560 sq km (109 483 sq miles)

---

Ecuador Cultural  

1. Republic in western South America, bordered by Colombia to the north, Peru to the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Its landscape is dominated by the Andes. Quito is its capital, and Guayaquil is its largest city.

---

Other Word Forms

• Ecuadoran
  adjective
• Ecuadorean
  adjective
• Ecuadorian
  adjective
• anti-Ecuador
  adjective
• pro-Ecuador
  adjective

Example Sentences

Ecuador, which finished second in the South American World Cup qualifiers, put up a strong fight, bombarding the Mexican team with crosses, albeit without much organization.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

Julian Quinones times his run to perfection before rifling home a fierce shot to give Mexico the lead against Ecuador in their round of 32 World Cup match.

From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026

Since Ecuador lost, Hincapié will serve his red-card suspension during the team’s next international match.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

France and Sweden kick off at 5 Eastern, while Mexico and Ecuador play at 9.

From Slate • Jun. 30, 2026

I did not know that when the Spanish conquistadors came, crazed for gold, they conquered us, and over the centuries, two kinds of people emerged in Ecuador.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau