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Congolese

American  
[kong-guh-leez, -lees] / ˌkɒŋ gəˈliz, -ˈlis /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the People's Republic of the Congo or the Congo region, its inhabitants, or their languages.


noun

  • Congolese
    plural
  1. an inhabitant or native of the People's Republic of the Congo or of the Congo region.

Congolese British  
/ ˌkɒŋɡəˈliːz /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the Republic of the Congo or the Democratic Republic of the Congo or their inhabitants

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of the Republic of the Congo or the Democratic Republic of the Congo

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of Congolese

First recorded in 1895–1900; from French congolais, irregular formation; see -ese

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.

See Examples For:

The epidemic, which has hit the conflict-hit east and northeast of the country, has caused 3,007 deaths and infected 6,186 people, the Congolese National Institute of Public Health said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

A mission to verify a fragile ceasefire between the Congolese army and Rwanda-backed M23 armed group was deployed Monday to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as the two sides traded accusations of abuse.

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

A new report by Save the Children suggests that at least 180 Congolese children have lost both parents or caregivers since the outbreak began.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Health workers were screening passengers at the country’s main airport when a Congolese traveler presented with a high temperature.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

On the side of the road, a mob of angry Congolese people stood—men, women, and children.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

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