Kuwait

[koo-weyt]

noun

1. a sovereign monarchy in northeastern Arabia, on the northwest coast of the Persian Gulf: formerly a British protectorate. About 8,000 sq. mi. (20,720 sq km).

2. a seaport in and the capital of the monarchy of Kuwait.

Kuwait

/ kʊˈweɪt /

noun

1. a state on the NW coast of the Persian Gulf: came under British protection in 1899 and gained independence in 1961; invaded by Iraq in 1990; liberated by US-led UN forces 1991 in the Gulf War: mainly desert. The economy is dependent on oil. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: Muslim. Currency: dinar. Capital: Kuwait. Pop: 2 695 316 (2013 est). Area: 24 280 sq km (9375 sq miles)

2. the capital of Kuwait: a port on the Persian Gulf. Pop: 1 225 000 (2005 est)

Kuwait

1. Independent kingdom on the northeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordered by Iraq to the north and west and Saudi Arabia to the south.

A major petroleum producer, Kuwait possesses about one-fifth of the world's oil reserves. It is a leading member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

In 1990, Kuwait was invaded by Iraq; in 1991, Iraqi forces were expelled by a coalition of United Nations forces led by the United States. (See also Persian Gulf War.)

Other Word Forms

• anti-Kuwait adjective
• pro-Kuwait adjective

Example Sentences

A Palestinian born in Kuwait and raised in Jordan, Marouf first came to the U.S. on a student visa in 1993 to attend college at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Read more on Salon

Meanwhile, major sovereign-wealth funds including the Kuwait Investment Authority have been pouring money into AI investments.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the only Gulf countries that still ban alcohol.

Read more on Barron's

But the biggest challenge was the Gulf War, in which a U.S.-led coalition defeated Iraq after that nation had invaded its neighbor Kuwait.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But Cheney — along with his hand-picked chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell — made his mark in the American response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Read more on Los Angeles Times