congo
noun
congo
1 American
[kong-goh]
/ ˈkɒŋ goʊ /
noun
Congo
2
American
[kong-goh]
/ ˈkɒŋ goʊ /
noun
-
Formerly Middle Congo, French Congo. People's Republic of the Congo, a republic in central Africa, west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 132,046 sq. mi. (341,999 sq. km). Brazzaville.
-
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Formerly Zaire, Belgian Congo, Congo Free State. Democratic Republic of the Congo, a republic in central Africa. 905,568 sq. mi. (2,345,410 sq. km). Kinshasa.
-
Also called Zaire. Congo River, a river in central Africa, flowing in a great loop from southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic. About 3,000 miles (4,800 km) long.
Congo
British
/ ˈkɒŋɡəʊ /
noun
-
Former names: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, Zaïre. a republic in S central Africa, with a narrow strip of land along the Congo estuary leading to the Atlantic in the west: Congo Free State established in 1885, with Leopold II of Belgium as absolute monarch; became the Belgian Congo colony in 1908; gained independence in 1960, followed by civil war and the secession of Katanga (until 1963); President Mobutu Sese Seko seized power in 1965; declared a one-party state in 1978, and was overthrown by rebels in 1997. The country consists chiefly of the Congo basin, with large areas of dense tropical forest and marshes, and the Mitumba highlands reaching over 5000 m (16 000 ft) in the east. Official language: French. Religion: Christian majority, animist minority. Currency: Congolese franc. Capital: Kinshasa. Pop: 75 507 308 (2013 est). Area: 2 344 116 sq km (905 063 sq miles)
-
another name for Congo-Brazzaville
-
Former Zaïrese name (1971–97): Zaïre. the second longest river in Africa, rising as the Lualaba on the Katanga plateau in the Democratic Republic of Congo and flowing in a wide northerly curve to the Atlantic: forms the border between Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Length: about 4800 km (3000 miles). Area of basin: about 3 000 000 sq km (1 425 000 sq miles)
-
a variant spelling of Kongo
Other Word Forms
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 tracks contain a cross pattern, a reference to the African dikenga, also known as the congo cosmogram, a chart that symbolizes the cycle of life from birth to the realm of the ancestors.
From New York Times ● Nov. 20, 2023
Pedrito Martinez The Havana-born congo player and vocalist and his Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble perform songs from his recent album “Acertijos” in a concert filmed in November at Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y. 4:30 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2020
This isn’t some kind of stationary congo, there’s a reason we’re all in a line.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 27, 2015
He takes notes on a small pad as she ticks off her weekly menu: chicken bouillon Mondays, fish and rice Fridays, pwa congo whenever the pigeon peas are harvested.
From Washington Post
But all this was nothing to our travellers, nor was the clang of the macaws anything, or the roaring of the little congo ape.
From Returning Home by Anthony Trollope
The US placed sanctions on the Rwandan army, accusing it of fuelling the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo in March.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Washington also has been increasing economic pressure on Rwanda over its alleged backing of the armed M23 rebel group in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told AFP last week that his country should not be a "scapegoat" for events in DR Congo.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
Travel restrictions remain in place for those crossing into the country from neighbouring DR Congo.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
In the end, my lot was cast with the Congo.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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