Puerto Rico

[ pwer-tuh-ree-koh, pwer-toh, pawr-tuh; Spanish pwer-taw ree-kaw ]

/ ˈpwɛr tə ˈri koʊ, ˈpwɛr toʊ, ˈpɔr tə; Spanish ˈpwɛr tɔ ˈri kɔ /

Save This Word!

noun

an island in the central West Indies: a commonwealth associated with the U.S. 3,435 sq. mi. (8,895 sq. km). Capital: San Juan. Abbreviation: P.R., PR

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Formerly Porto Rico.

OTHER WORDS FROM Puerto Rico

Puer·to Ri·can, adjective, noun

Words nearby Puerto Rico

Puerto Limón, Puerto Montt, Puerto Rican, Puerto Rican cherry, Puerto Rican royal palm, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Trench, puertorriqueño, Puerto Vallarta, Pufendorf, puff

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Puerto Rico in a sentence

The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico also have mask orders.
Masks should fit better or be doubled up to protect against coronavirus variants, CDC says|Lena H. Sun, Fenit Nirappil|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
Puerto Rico was placed in a “high” category of LGBTQ policies, along with 18 states and the District of Columbia.
Puerto Rico: Number one in hate crimes|Alberto J. Valentín|February 2, 2021|Washington Blade
Activists in Puerto Rico also acknowledged Vázquez’s roots on the island.
Carmen Vázquez, longtime LGBTQ activist, dies at 72|Michael K. Lavers|January 29, 2021|Washington Blade
This partnership will allow Waves Ahead to uphold its commitment to the community and expand its capacity to serve LGBTQ seniors in Puerto Rico.
Two groups team up to help trans, non-binary Puerto Ricans|Yariel Valdés González|January 25, 2021|Washington Blade

Starting this week, the retailer is making inoculations available through its stores in seven states, plus Chicago and Puerto Rico.
Walmart, Starbucks, Amazon and other corporate giants moving to speed up coronavirus vaccine rollout|Taylor Telford|January 22, 2021|Washington Post
The refugees come from Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico.
The 2014 Novel of the Year|Nathaniel Rich|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Tu eres como chuleria en pote,” goes the Puerto Rican expression that gave rise to his moniker.
In The Shadow of Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So in America, “Havana Club” is made by Bacardi in Puerto Rico and can be found in five states.
Why Congress Hates Your Cuban Rum|Tim Mak|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And then there is William Morales of the Puerto Rican independence group the FALN.
Cuba Protects America’s Most Wanted|Michael Daly|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For example, since 2011 it has been adding 30 per cent more capacity per year on flights to Puerto Rico.
Goodbye, Bahamas. Hello, Havana!|Clive Irving|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But down here off Puerto Rico, she for once leaves her beaten track of sobriety and indulges in the most extravagant caprices.
Gardens of the Caribbees, v. 1/2|Ida May Hill Starr
The opening up of the new railroad to the Atlantic coast at Puerto Barrios will do wonders for the country.
Guatemala, the country of the future|Charles M. Pepper
Puerto Rico was occupied with a very small loss—two killed and thirty-seven wounded.
The Blue and The Gray|A. R. White
We intend to remain in Porto Rico; we do not know what we shall do with the Philippines.
The Head Hunters of Northern Luzon From Ifugao to Kalinga|Cornelis De Witt Willcox
He decided to wait for her, and find out from her how matters stood in Puerto Cortez.
The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 29, May 27, 1897|Various

British Dictionary definitions for Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

/ (ˈpwɜːtəʊ ˈriːkəʊ, ˈpwɛə-) /

noun

an autonomous commonwealth (in association with the US) occupying the smallest and easternmost of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean: one of the most densely populated areas in the world; ceded by Spain to the US in 1899. Currency: US dollar. Capital: San Juan. Pop: 3 674 209 (2013 est). Area: 9104 sq km (3515 sq miles)Former name (until 1932): Porto Rico Abbreviation: PR

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

Cultural definitions for Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

[ (pwer-tuh, pawr-tuh ree-koh) ]

Island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Miami, Florida. Its capital and largest city is San Juan.

notes for Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. Citizens of Puerto Rico are also American citizens but do not vote in federal elections and do not pay federal taxes on their local earnings.