Benin
Americannoun
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Formerly Dahomey. a republic in W Africa: formerly part of French West Africa; gained independence in 1960. 44,290 sq. mi. (114,711 sq. km). Porto Novo.
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Bight of, a bay in N Gulf of Guinea in W Africa.
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a former native kingdom in W Africa: now incorporated into Nigeria.
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a river in S Nigeria, flowing into the Bight of Benin.
noun
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Former name (until 1975): Dahomey. a republic in W Africa, on the Bight of Benin , a section of the Gulf of Guinea: in the early 19th century a powerful kingdom, famed for its women warriors; became a French colony in 1893, gaining independence in 1960. It consists chiefly of coastal lagoons and swamps in the south, a fertile plain and marshes in the centre, and the Atakora Mountains in the northwest. Official language: French. Religion: animist majority. Currency: franc. Capital: Porto Novo (the government is based in Cotonou). Pop: 9 877 292 (2013 est). Area: 112 622 sq km (43 474 sq miles)
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a former kingdom of W Africa, powerful from the 14th to the 17th centuries: now a province of S Nigeria: noted for its bronzes
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At the land border with Benin, health forms were generic, asking about fevers but not mentioning Ebola and without temperature checks, an AFP reporter observed.
From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026
Argentina warmed up for the fixture against Benin by defeating fellow west African side Burkina Faso 7-0.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
A coral reef off the coast of Benin that was thought to be dead for decades has been found alive and apparently healthy.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
The members of the UN committee -- who will weigh whether to replace Kyaw Moe Tun -- include the Bahamas, Belgium, Benin, China, Jamaica, Russia, Uganda, the United States and Vanuatu.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
In the courts and squares of the great cities ambassadors from Brasil and Benin, from Eireland and Corea mingled with tabaco sellers, with commedia players from Bergamo, with dealers in fortune bonds.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
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