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Macao

American  
[muh-kou] / məˈkaʊ /

noun

  1. a Portuguese overseas territory in S China, in the delta of the Zhu Jiang River and including two small adjacent islands. 6 sq. mi. (16 sq. km).

  2. the seaport and capital of this territory.


Macao British  
/ məˈkaʊ /

noun

  1. Portuguese name: Macau.  a special administrative region of China, in the south of the country, across the estuary of the Zhu Jiang from Hong Kong: chief centre of European trade with China in the 18th century; attained partial autonomy in 1976; formerly (until 1999) a Portuguese overseas province under a long-term lease from China, as with Hong Kong (a UK territory until 1997); transit trade with rest of China; tourism and financial services. It retains its own currency, the pataca. Pop: 583 003 (2013 est). Area: 16 sq km (6 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.

See Examples For:

Anta Sports bought the rights to the Fila trademark in China, Hong Kong and Macao in 2009.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 24, 2026

The company is also positioned for growth in Macao, where it has made investments to improve its business and leisure tourism appeal, Goldstein said.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 28, 2026

"The games in Macao earlier this season showed how much passion and enthusiasm there is for the NBA among fans in China and across Asia," said NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum.

From Barron's Jan. 5, 2026

Shunde District in Foshan has been hit hardest, accounting for over 3,600 cases, while additional infections have appeared in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao.

From Science Daily Oct. 10, 2025

Ricca douro is an island which was discovered by a vessel from Macao.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 29 of 55 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century by Various

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