Belfast

American  

[bel-fast, -fahst, bel-fast, -fahst] / ˈbɛl fæst, -fɑst, bɛlˈfæst, -ˈfɑst /

noun

1. a seaport in and capital of Northern Ireland, on the E coast.

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Belfast British  

/ ˈbɛlfɑːst, bɛlˈfɑːst /

noun

1. the capital of Northern Ireland, a port on Belfast Lough in Belfast district, Co Antrim and Co Down: became the centre of Irish Protestantism and of the linen industry in the 17th century; seat of the Northern Ireland assembly and executive. Pop: 276 459 (2001)

2. a district of W Northern Ireland, in Co Antrim and Co Down. Pop: 271 596 (2003 est). Area: 115 sq km (44 sq miles)

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Belfast Cultural  

1. Capital, largest city, and major port of Northern Ireland.

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For centuries the city has been the site of violent conflict between Protestant and Roman Catholic residents.

Example Sentences

Sand dredging in Lough Neagh "may be having broader and more persistent impacts" on the lake than previously thought, according to new research led by Queen's University Belfast.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

It is not yet clear which areas of the university, which has campuses in Belfast, Londonderry and Coleraine as well as a campus in Qatar, will be affected.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Tractors have been spotted moving slowly on the Sydenham bypass, near the Belfast City Airport, in both directions.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Posters placed along the County Antrim coast telling people not to go into Belfast Lough, due to "raw sewage" have not been placed by a Stormont department and are "misleading", a minister has said.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Why don’t you go up to Belfast and see what the Orangemen will do for you, ah?

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt