Cyprus

American  

[sahy-pruhs] / ˈsaɪ prəs /

noun

1. an island republic in the Mediterranean, south of Turkey: formerly a British colony; independent since 1960. 3,572 sq. mi. (9,250 sq. km). Nicosia.

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Cyprus British  

/ ˈsaɪprəs /

noun

1. an island in the E Mediterranean: ceded to Britain by Turkey in 1878 and made a colony in 1925; became an independent republic in 1960 as a member of the Commonwealth; invaded by Turkey in 1974 following a Greek-supported military coup, leading to the partition of the island. In 1983 the Turkish-controlled northern sector declared itself to be an independent state as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus but failed to receive international recognition. Attempts by the UN to broker a reunification agreement have failed. Cyprus joined the EU in 2004. The UK maintains two enclaves as military bases (Akrotiri and Dhekelia Sovereign Base Areas), which are not included in Cyprus politically. Languages: Greek and Turkish. Religions: Greek Orthodox and Muslim. Currency: euro and Turkish lira. Capital: Nicosia. Pop (Greek): 838 897 (2011 est); (Turkish): 265 100 (2006 est). Area: 9251 sq km (3571 sq miles)

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Cyprus Cultural  

1. Island republic in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey and west of Syria. Nicosia is its capital and largest city.

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Discover More

People of Greek origin make up four-fifths of the population, and those of Turkish origin compose the other fifth. Conflict between the two led to a Turkish invasion that divided the island in the 1970s.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Cyprus
  adjective
• pro-Cyprus
  adjective

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Cyprus

McLachlan oversaw exploration at Total when it made big discoveries in Namibia, Suriname, Cyprus, South Africa and elsewhere.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Police in Cyprus have opened an investigation into the financial affairs of Roman Abramovich, following revelations by BBC Panorama that accountancy firm Deloitte helped in falsifying documents to hide his wealth and evade tax.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Gas will be extracted offshore Cyprus, transported via subsea pipes to Egypt where it will be super-cooled and liquefied at the Damietta LNG terminal on the Mediterranean.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

Deloitte Cyprus said it acts "in compliance with applicable laws".

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

The feast day of Venus was, of course, especially honored in Cyprus, the island which first received the goddess after she rose from the foam.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

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