Haiti

American  

[hey-tee] / ˈheɪ ti /

noun

1. Formerly Hayti.  a republic in the West Indies occupying the western part of the island of Hispaniola. 10,714 sq. mi. (27,750 sq. km). Port-au-Prince.

2. Also Hayti a former name of Hispaniola.

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Haiti British  

/ ˈheɪtɪ, hɑːˈiːtɪ /

noun

1. a republic occupying the W part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, the E part consisting of the Dominican Republic: ceded by Spain to France in 1697 and became one of the richest colonial possessions in the world, with numerous plantations; slaves rebelled under Toussaint L'Ouverture in 1793 and defeated the French; taken over by the US (1915–41) after long political and economic chaos; under the authoritarian regimes of François Duvalier ('Papa Doc') (1957–71) and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier ('Baby Doc') (1971–86); returned to civilian rule in 1990, but another coup in 1991 brought military rule, which was ended in 1994 with US intervention. Official languages: French and Haitian creole. Religions: Roman Catholic and voodoo. Currency: gourde. Capital: Port-au-Prince. Pop: 9 893 934 (2013 est). Area: 27 749 sq km (10 714 sq miles)

2. a former name for Hispaniola

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Haiti Cultural  

1. Republic in the West Indies, on the western third of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Its capital and largest city is Port-au-Prince.

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With its extremely low average income and literacy rate, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

In 1957, François (“Papa Doc”) Duvalier established a dictatorship; at his death in 1971, he was succeeded by his son, Jean Claude (“Baby Doc”), who was finally overthrown in 1986. Since then the government has changed several times through military coups. In 1994, U.S. troops arrived in Haiti in an effort to restore democratic government, however, the political and economic future of Haiti remains uncertain.

Example Sentences

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Haiti

"It's a very intimate relationship, so to these clients, the loss of having their Haiti TPS-holding caregivers truly is devastating."

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

The State Department has the nation of Haiti under a “Level 4 – Do not travel” advisory, due to the relatively high risk of “crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, and limited health care.”

From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026

Jean William Pape, a well-known public health expert who runs medical centers in Haiti, said he is more determined to fight for better health and security in Haiti.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

That certainly applies to Haiti, which is enduring tremendous hardship and instability.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

In medical school, the first two years consisted mainly of lecture courses, but Farmer managed, with the blessing of the faculty, to make frequent visits to Haiti, taking his notes and textbooks with him.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French