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Netherlands

American  
[neth-er-luhndz] / ˈnɛð ər ləndz /

noun

  1. (used with a singular or plural verb) the, a kingdom in W Europe, bordering on the North Sea, Germany, and Belgium. 13,433 sq. mi. (34,790 sq. km). Capitals: Amsterdam and The Hague.


Netherlands British  
/ ˈnɛðələndz /

noun

  1. Also called: Holland.  Dutch name: Nederland.  a kingdom in NW Europe, on the North Sea: declared independence from Spain in 1581 as the United Provinces; became a major maritime and commercial power in the 17th century, gaining many overseas possessions; formed the Benelux customs union with Belgium and Luxembourg in 1948 and was a founder member of the Common Market, now the European Union. It is mostly flat and low-lying, with about 40 per cent of the land being below sea level, much of it on polders protected by dykes. Official language: Dutch. Religion: Christian majority, Protestant and Roman Catholic, large nonreligious minority. Currency: euro. Capital: Amsterdam, with the seat of government at The Hague. Pop: 16 805 037 (2013 est). Area: 41 526 sq km (16 033 sq miles)

  2. the kingdom of the Netherlands together with the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, esp as ruled by Spain and Austria before 1581; the Low Countries

"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

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Example Sentences

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Born in Amsterdam's De Baarsjes district, he became the first Dutch-born player of Moroccan heritage to represent the Netherlands when Frank Rijkaard handed him his debut against Germany in November 1998.

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026

And a pair of heavy hitters face off at 9 when Morocco takes on the Netherlands.

From Slate • Jun. 29, 2026

Tesla is currently trying to expand access to FSD in Europe after the Netherlands became the first in the European Union to approve its use.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 29, 2026

Last week, Germany joined France and the Netherlands in calling on the European Commission to tighten EU-wide rules on ultrafast fashion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

Those were in their infancy, with the first TomTom GO GPS first appearing in the Netherlands in 2005.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

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