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

Alfred Schipke, director of the East Asian Institute in Singapore, agrees that short-term economic impact "will likely be modest and concentrated in African countries that already have export capacity".

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien's clip went viral and triggered a backlash that led to his arrest in Singapore, which has a reputation for not tolerating bad behaviour.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

The decision jolted Chinese and foreign investors because it came months after Manus—which was originally established in China—moved its operations to Singapore and closed the deal with Meta.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Many executives and analysts viewed the decision by Manus to move to Singapore as an effort to cut ties with China.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

From his office in Singapore, Kim Kwan Jin watched in early February 2003 as his colleagues stuffed twenty million dollars in cash into two heavy-duty bags and sent them, via Beijing, to Pyongyang.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden