Guinea-Bissau

American

[gin-ee-bi-sou] / ˈgɪn i bɪˈsaʊ /

noun

a republic on the western coast of Africa, between Guinea and Senegal: formerly a Portuguese overseas province; gained independence in 1974. 13,948 sq. mi. (36,125 sq. km). Bissau.

Guinea-Bissau British

noun

Former name (until 1974): Portuguese Guinea. a republic in West Africa, on the Atlantic: first discovered by the Portuguese in 1446 and of subsequent importance in the slave trade; made a colony in 1879; became an independent republic in 1974. Official language: Portuguese; Cape Verde creole is widely spoken. Religion: animist majority and Muslim. Currency: franc. Capital: Bissau. Pop: 1 660 870 (2013 est). Area: 36 125 sq km (13 948 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Nixon, the HHS spokesman, said the study is paused pending a review by Guinea-Bissau.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

"Dao" depicts two interlaced events: a wedding near Paris and a funeral ceremony in Guinea-Bissau.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

A now-halted plan to run a hepatitis B vaccine trial involving thousands of newborns in Guinea-Bissau has been criticised by the World Health Organization as "unethical".

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

The Guinea-Bissau study faced international condemnation after scientists and advocates fought back.

From Salon • Jan. 21, 2026

Economy - overview: One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing.

From The 2002 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023