Singapore

American  

[sing-guh-pawr, -pohr, sing-uh-] / ˈsɪŋ gəˌpɔr, -ˌpoʊr, ˈsɪŋ ə- /

noun

1. an island on the Strait of Singapore, off the S tip of the Malay Peninsula.

2. an independent republic comprising this island and a few adjacent islets: member of the Commonwealth of Nations; formerly a British crown colony (1946–59) and member of the federation of Malaysia (1963–65). 220 sq. mi. (570 sq. km). Singapore.

3. a seaport in and the capital of this republic.

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Singapore British  

/ ˌsɪŋɡə-, ˌsɪŋəˈpɔː /

noun

1. a republic in SE Asia, occupying one main island and over 50 small islands at the S end of the Malay Peninsula: established as a British trading post in 1819 and became part of the Straits Settlements in 1826; occupied by the Japanese (1942–45); a British colony from 1946, becoming self-governing in 1959; part of the Federation of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965, when it became an independent republic (within the Commonwealth). Official languages: Chinese, Malay, English, and Tamil. Religion: Buddhist, Taoist, traditional beliefs, and Muslim. Currency: Singapore dollar. Capital: Singapore. Pop: 5 460 302 (2013 est). Area: now over 700 sq km (270 sq miles), increased in recent years as a result of land reclamation schemes

2. the capital of the republic of Singapore: a major international port; administratively not treated as a city

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Singapore Cultural  

1. An island republic in Southeast Asia at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.

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Discover More

It is one of the world's biggest and busiest ports.

Though only 225 square miles in size, it is a major economic power in Asia.

A British colony from 1946 to 1959, Singapore then became independent.

Other Word Forms

• Singaporean noun

Example Sentences

So was work on a Gulf extension to the SEA-ME-WE 6 system that would have connected the Middle East to a cable network that extends from France to Singapore.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

So was work on a Gulf extension to the SEA-ME-WE 6 system that would have connected the Middle East to a cable network that extends from France to Singapore.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Singapore will release a slew of data during the week, headlined by a monetary policy decision and advanced growth data for the first quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Inflation data are due in Europe, while Asia’s week is spearheaded by a heavy run of indicators out of China, inflation prints from India and Malaysia, and a monetary policy decision in Singapore.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

He got on a boat headed for Singapore, but when the whistle blew for departure, he was down the gangplank and home in bed before anyone knew he was gone.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George