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Kinshasa

American  
[kin-shah-suh, kin-shah-suh] / kɪnˈʃɑ sə, ˈkɪn ʃɑ sə /

noun

  1. a port in and capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the northwestern part, on the Congo (Zaire) River.


Kinshasa British  
/ kɪnˈʃɑːzə, -ˈʃɑːsə /

noun

  1. Former name (until 1966): Léopoldville.  the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaïre), on the River Congo opposite Brazzaville: became capital of the Belgian Congo in 1929 and of Zaïre in 1960; university (1954). Pop: 5 717 000 (2005 est)

"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

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The tragedy follows a similar fire in Kinshasa last weekend, where residents died in a stampede at a wedding banquet hall.

From BBC Sep. 10, 2026

On Thursday, Congolese health authorities quarantined a boat carrying 255 people near the capital, Kinshasa, after a passenger who had disembarked at an earlier stop died from Ebola-like symptoms in late July.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 6, 2026

The stance recreates that of a statue housed in his country's capital Kinshasa - a tribute to Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the First Congolese Republic in 1960.

From BBC Jul. 17, 2026

Toronto edged out New Delhi and the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa as wildfire smoke turned the skies a hazy yellowish-grey in Canada's largest city.

From Barron's Jul. 15, 2026

Mobutu’s Kinshasa mansion is surrounded by a park, where some zebras and one pitiful elephant paw at the grass.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

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