Peru

[ puh-roo ]

noun

1. Spanish Pe·rú [pe-, roo]. a republic in western South America. 496,222 sq. mi. (1,285,215 sq. km). : Lima.
2. a city in north-central Indiana.
3. a city in northern Illinois.

Peru

/ pəˈruː /

noun

1. a republic in W South America, on the Pacific: the centre of the great Inca Empire when conquered by the Spanish in 1532; gained independence in 1824 by defeating Spanish forces with armies led by San Martín and Bolívar; consists of a coastal desert, rising to the Andes; an important exporter of minerals and a major fishing nation. Official languages: Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara. Official religion: Roman Catholic. Currency: nuevo sol. Capital: Lima. Pop: 29 849 303 (2013 est). Area: 1 285 215 sq km (496 222 sq miles)

Peru

1. Republic in western South America , bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, Ecuador to the northwest, Colombia to the northeast, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south. Its capital and largest city is Lima .

Notes

Peru was the heart of the Inca Empire, which flourished from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. The remains of the empire include the fabled stone fortress of Machu Picchu.

Achieved independence from Spain in 1821.

Other Words From

• Pe·ru·vi·an [p, uh, -, roo, -vee-, uh, n], adjective noun
• non-Pe·ru·vi·an adjective noun

Example Sentences

She completed a yoga teacher-training program and, in the spring of 2008, went on a retreat in Peru to study with shamans.

From The Daily Beast

I flew to Peru to hear her give a keynote speech at an international conference.

From The Daily Beast

She worked with wildlife as a volunteer in Peru and the Galapagos; she worked with elephants in Thailand, at a zoo in Australia.

From The Daily Beast

Then, in 1976, Peru deported Schwend to West Germany, where he landed in jail once again when he could not pay a $21 hotel bill.

From The Daily Beast

Voting with the United States and Europe were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Japan, Mexico, Peru, and South Korea.

From The Daily Beast

I have sent out nine steam-engines to the gold and silver mines of Peru.

From Project Gutenberg

These extracts from an agreement drawn up by the leading men in Peru in 1812 are proofs of remarkable energy.

From Project Gutenberg

It was the case in Peru, where the Inca was the direct representative on earth of the solar deity.

From Project Gutenberg

You've heard, I suppose, that they expect soon to open up a new and wonderfully rich deposit of silver in the mines of Peru?

From Project Gutenberg

The Collahuayas of Peru were a guild of itinerant quacks and magicians, who never remained permanently in one spot.

From Project Gutenberg