Peru

American  

[puh-roo] / pəˈru /

noun

1. Spanish Perú.  a republic in western South America. 496,222 sq. mi. (1,285,215 sq. km). Lima.

2. a city in north-central Indiana.

3. a city in northern Illinois.

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Peru British  

/ pəˈruː /

noun

1. a republic in W South America, on the Pacific: the centre of the great Inca Empire when conquered by the Spanish in 1532; gained independence in 1824 by defeating Spanish forces with armies led by San Martín and Bolívar; consists of a coastal desert, rising to the Andes; an important exporter of minerals and a major fishing nation. Official languages: Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara. Official religion: Roman Catholic. Currency: nuevo sol. Capital: Lima. Pop: 29 849 303 (2013 est). Area: 1 285 215 sq km (496 222 sq miles)

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Peru Cultural  

1. Republic in western South America, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, Ecuador to the northwest, Colombia to the northeast, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south. Its capital and largest city is Lima.

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Discover More

Peru was the heart of the Inca Empire, which flourished from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. The remains of the empire include the fabled stone fortress of Machu Picchu.

Achieved independence from Spain in 1821.

Other Word Forms

• Peruvian adjective
• non-Peruvian adjective

Example Sentences

That’s because many companies that produce semiconductors, hardware and commodities needed for the AI data centers are based in emerging markets like South Korea, Taiwan and Peru.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Petro earlier called the threat of a 100 percent tariff "a monstrosity" and threatened to withdraw Colombia from the Andean Community of Nations, a trade bloc which also includes Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

I tell her about my formative years in Lima, Peru, and my family’s adventures relocating to the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

At Huembo Lodge in Peru, a male marvellous spatuletail hummingbird fans its extraordinary tail as it feeds on flowers.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Surprisingly, Peru has more arable land above nine thousand feet than below.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann