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Netherlands

American  
[neth-er-luhndz] / ˈnɛð ər ləndz /

noun

  1. (used with a singular or plural verb) the, a kingdom in W Europe, bordering on the North Sea, Germany, and Belgium. 13,433 sq. mi. (34,790 sq. km). Capitals: Amsterdam and The Hague.


Netherlands British  
/ ˈnɛðələndz /

noun

  1. Also called: Holland.  Dutch name: Nederland.  a kingdom in NW Europe, on the North Sea: declared independence from Spain in 1581 as the United Provinces; became a major maritime and commercial power in the 17th century, gaining many overseas possessions; formed the Benelux customs union with Belgium and Luxembourg in 1948 and was a founder member of the Common Market, now the European Union. It is mostly flat and low-lying, with about 40 per cent of the land being below sea level, much of it on polders protected by dykes. Official language: Dutch. Religion: Christian majority, Protestant and Roman Catholic, large nonreligious minority. Currency: euro. Capital: Amsterdam, with the seat of government at The Hague. Pop: 16 805 037 (2013 est). Area: 41 526 sq km (16 033 sq miles)

  2. the kingdom of the Netherlands together with the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, esp as ruled by Spain and Austria before 1581; the Low Countries

"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

Other Word Forms

  • Netherlander noun
  • Netherlandian adjective

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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.

Margins were expanded predominantly in countries with high purchasing power such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Germany, the report said.

From Barron's

They will be up against the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden.

From BBC

"The UK receives imports of jet fuel from India, USA and the Netherlands as well as smaller amounts from a range of other countries," the spokesperson added.

From BBC

The CPL is the first top-flight league to try out this new offside rule, with low-level trials held in Italy's Under-18 Championship in 2023 and in youth competitions in the Netherlands.

From BBC

They are typically pricey because of their complexity and small production volumes, said Ralph Savelsberg, a missile expert at the Netherlands Defence Academy, a research and training institute of the Netherlands defense ministry.

From The Wall Street Journal