Germany

American  

[jur-muh-nee] / ˈdʒɜr mə ni /

noun

1. a republic in central Europe: after World War II divided into four zones, British, French, U.S., and Soviet, and in 1949 into East Germany and West Germany; East and West Germany were reunited in 1990. 137,852 sq. mi. (357,039 sq. km). Berlin.

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Germany British  

/ ˈdʒɜːmənɪ /

noun

1. German name: Deutschland.  Official name: Federal Republic of Germany.  a country in central Europe: in the Middle Ages the centre of the Holy Roman Empire; dissolved into numerous principalities; united under the leadership of Prussia in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian War; became a republic with reduced size in 1919 after being defeated in World War I; under the dictatorship of Hitler from 1933 to 1945; defeated in World War II and divided by the Allied Powers into four zones, which became established as East and West Germany in the late 1940s; reunified in 1990: a member of the European Union. It is flat and low-lying in the north with plateaus and uplands (including the Black Forest and the Bavarian Alps) in the centre and south. Official language: German. Religion: Christianity, Protestant majority. Currency: euro. Capital: Berlin. Pop: 81 147 265 (2013 est). Area: 357 041 sq km (137 825 sq miles) See also East Germany West Germany

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Germany Cultural  

1. Republic in north-central Europe, divided into East Germany and West Germany in 1949 and reunited in 1990. Officially called the Federal Republic of Germany.

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Discover More

After the defeat of the Nazis in World War II, Germany was divided into four zones occupied by British, French, Soviet, and American forces.

Since reunification Germany has become Europe's leading economic power. (See East Germany and West Germany under “World History since 1550.”)

Germany's industrial, colonial, and naval expansion was considered a threat by the British and French and was one of the main causes of World War I, in which Germany was badly defeated.

Germany was a collection of competing states until it was unified during the second half of the nineteenth century under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck.

Compare meaning

How does germany compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Germany vs. Netherlands
• Prussia vs. Germany

Example Sentences

France and Germany said on Monday they had agreed to abandon a joint fighter jet programme due to disagreements between the companies involved, in a blow to European efforts to boost defence cooperation.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

The move leaves Germany, an early pioneer in the airspace industry, without a fighter-aircraft program to work on.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Another top-heavy group led by Germany, a four-time World Cup champion.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

The 2014 World Cup final, lost to Germany in extra time in the Maracana.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

Neither Britain nor Germany produced enough food to support its population.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman