Prussia

American  

[pruhsh-uh] / ˈprʌʃ ə /

noun

1. a former state in N Europe: became a military power in the 18th century and in 1871 led the formation of the German empire; formally abolished as an administrative unit in 1947.

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Prussia British  

/ ˈprʌʃə /

noun

1. German name: Preussen.  a former German state in N and central Germany, extending from France and the Low Countries to the Baltic Sea and Poland: developed as the chief military power of the Continent, leading the North German Confederation from 1867–71, when the German Empire was established; dissolved in 1947 and divided between East and West Germany, Poland, and the former Soviet Union. Area: (in 1939) 294 081 sq km (113 545 sq miles)

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Prussia Cultural  

1. Former state in north-central Germany. At the height of its power, Prussia occupied more than half of present-day Germany, stretching from The Netherlands and Belgium in the west to Lithuania in the east.

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After Germany's defeat in World War II, Prussia was abolished as a state, and its territory was divided among East Germany, West Germany, the Soviet Union, and Poland.

During the eighteenth century, Prussia established its independence from Poland, built up a strong army, and undertook a successful conquest of north-central Europe.

In the nineteenth century, Prussia led the economic and political unification of the German states, establishing itself as the largest and most influential of these states, with Berlin as the capital of the German Empire.

Prussians are often depicted as authoritarian, militaristic, and extremely orderly, a characterization based on the unswerving obedience of their army.

Compare meaning

How does prussia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Prussia vs. Germany

Example Sentences

In the 1830s, however, the city, then the capital of East Prussia, was “still bathed in the amber glow of the late Enlightenment,” as Christopher Clark tells us in “A Scandal in Königsberg.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

And after defeat by Prussia in 1871, Republican leader Léon Gambetta said: "When in France a citizen is born, he is born a soldier."

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

Foreign intervention, led by Austria and Prussia, fueled the descent into show trials and terror.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

The Bullers Arms in Looe and King of Prussia pub in Kingsbridge both posted videos on their social media profiles showing flood water outside.

From BBC • Aug. 29, 2025

Some said Berlin didn’t care about the Germans in East Prussia.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys