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.

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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

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noun

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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anti-Congolese
  adjective
• pro-Congolese
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Congolese
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Congolese

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

Example Sentences

The day after his test was made public, the Congolese government ordered a 21-day quarantine for travellers going from Ebola-affected areas to other parts of the country.

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026

The Congolese proverb little by little, grow the bananas emphasises the virtues of patience and steady progress.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026

Kamoa Copper S.A. is a joint venture owned in equal parts by Canada's Ivanhoe Mines and China's Zijin Mining, with the Congolese state holding a 20-percent minority stake.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

By comparison, Congolese authorities said infections there stand at 1,155, with 304 deaths, as of Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

Even in the grocery store, surrounded in one aisle by more kinds of food than will ever be known in a Congolese lifetime, there was nothing on the air but a vague, disinfected emptiness.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver