Singapore

American  

[sing-guh-pawr, -pohr, sing-uh-] / ˈsɪŋ gəˌpɔr, -ˌpoʊr, ˈsɪŋ ə- /

noun

1. an island on the Strait of Singapore, off the S tip of the Malay Peninsula.

2. an independent republic comprising this island and a few adjacent islets: member of the Commonwealth of Nations; formerly a British crown colony (1946–59) and member of the federation of Malaysia (1963–65). 220 sq. mi. (570 sq. km). Singapore.

3. a seaport in and the capital of this republic.

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Singapore British  

/ ˌsɪŋɡə-, ˌsɪŋəˈpɔː /

noun

1. a republic in SE Asia, occupying one main island and over 50 small islands at the S end of the Malay Peninsula: established as a British trading post in 1819 and became part of the Straits Settlements in 1826; occupied by the Japanese (1942–45); a British colony from 1946, becoming self-governing in 1959; part of the Federation of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965, when it became an independent republic (within the Commonwealth). Official languages: Chinese, Malay, English, and Tamil. Religion: Buddhist, Taoist, traditional beliefs, and Muslim. Currency: Singapore dollar. Capital: Singapore. Pop: 5 460 302 (2013 est). Area: now over 700 sq km (270 sq miles), increased in recent years as a result of land reclamation schemes

2. the capital of the republic of Singapore: a major international port; administratively not treated as a city

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Singapore Cultural  

1. An island republic in Southeast Asia at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.

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Discover More

It is one of the world's biggest and busiest ports.

Though only 225 square miles in size, it is a major economic power in Asia.

A British colony from 1946 to 1959, Singapore then became independent.

Other Word Forms

• Singaporean noun

Example Sentences

Kirby Ong, a 33-year-old trader based in Singapore, said he is closely following the developments as the deadline approaches.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

A former Singapore Airlines executive, Wilson was brought in to lead a turnaround after Tata Group bought Air India from the Indian government in 2022 following years of losses.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Several countries have enacted anti-cyberscam laws to combat the rise of online fraud, romance and cryptocurrency scams, with con artists in Singapore facing 24 strokes of the cane for serious cases.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Mickelson sat out of the first four events of the 2026 LIV Golf season, at Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong and Singapore.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Ma wakes up with a gasp, then straightens the blue silk sari Baba bought for her in Singapore.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins