Quito

American  

[kee-taw] / ˈki tɔ /

noun

1. a city in and the capital of Ecuador, in the N part. 9,348 feet (2,849 meters) above sea level.

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Quito British  

/ ˈkiːtəʊ, ˈkito /

noun

1. the capital of Ecuador, in the north at an altitude of 2850 m (9350 ft), just south of the equator: the oldest capital in South America, existing many centuries before the Incan conquest in 1487; a cultural centre since the beginning of Spanish rule (1534); two universities. Pop: 1 514 000 (2005 est)

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Example Sentences

Special correspondents in Quito, Ecuador, and San Salvador contributed to this report.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2026

The operation comes a day after Southcom commander Gen. Francis Donovan visited Ecuador’s capital, Quito, and met with President Daniel Noboa and other senior officials to discuss expanding security cooperation against narcoterrorism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Ecuador on Wednesday ordered the expulsion of Cuba's ambassador to Quito, giving him and the rest of his embassy staff 48 hours to leave the country, the foreign ministry announced.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

The US Embassy in Quito did not respond to Salon’s request for comment.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2026

The doctor has said there’s a major problem, that she has to go immediately to the big hospital in Quito.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau