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Senegal

American  
[sen-i-gawl, -gahl] / ˌsɛn ɪˈgɔl, -ˈgɑl /

noun

  1. a republic in western Africa, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by Mali. 76,084 square miles (197,057 square kilometers). Dakar.

  2. a river in western Africa, flowing northwest from eastern Mali to the Atlantic Ocean at Saint-Louis in Senegal. About 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) long.


Senegal British  
/ ˌsɛnɪˈɡɔːl /

noun

  1. a republic in West Africa, on the Atlantic: made part of French West Africa in 1895; became fully independent in 1960; joined with The Gambia to form the Confederation of Senegambia (1982–89); mostly low-lying, with semidesert in the north and tropical forest in the southwest Official language: French. Religion: Muslim majority. Currency: franc. Capital: Dakar. Pop: 13 300 410 (2013 est). Area: 197 160 sq km (76 124 sq miles)

"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

Senegal Cultural  
  1. Republic in western Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. Dakar is the capital and largest city.


Discover More

Senegal was a French colony from 1895 to 1958. It became fully independent in 1960.

Etymology

Origin of Senegal

First recorded in 1750–60; from French Sénégal, named after the Senegal River


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.

See Examples For:

Fortuna is planning to start construction on a $400 million gold mine in Senegal, which at current prices promises payback in just months.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

In 2018, riots broke out in Saint-Louis, Senegal, after a fisher was shot and killed by Mauritanian coast guards, during what the Mauritanians said was a cross-border raid by a fishmeal boat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

Senegal meanwhile "remains dependent on buying satellite images. Certain services cannot even be carried out because we lack the means to buy them", said Sensat's Faye.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

The Gambia supplements its own generation with imported electricity, including supplies from Guinea and neighbouring Senegal.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Gabourey’s father is from Senegal, and she said she loves it when black women wear their hair in traditional African styles.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

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