Singapore

American  

[sing-guh-pawr, -pohr, sing-uh-] / ˈsɪŋ gəˌpɔr, -ˌpoʊr, ˈsɪŋ ə- /

noun

1. an island on the Strait of Singapore, off the S tip of the Malay Peninsula.

2. an independent republic comprising this island and a few adjacent islets: member of the Commonwealth of Nations; formerly a British crown colony (1946–59) and member of the federation of Malaysia (1963–65). 220 sq. mi. (570 sq. km). Singapore.

3. a seaport in and the capital of this republic.

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Singapore British  

/ ˌsɪŋɡə-, ˌsɪŋəˈpɔː /

noun

1. a republic in SE Asia, occupying one main island and over 50 small islands at the S end of the Malay Peninsula: established as a British trading post in 1819 and became part of the Straits Settlements in 1826; occupied by the Japanese (1942–45); a British colony from 1946, becoming self-governing in 1959; part of the Federation of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965, when it became an independent republic (within the Commonwealth). Official languages: Chinese, Malay, English, and Tamil. Religion: Buddhist, Taoist, traditional beliefs, and Muslim. Currency: Singapore dollar. Capital: Singapore. Pop: 5 460 302 (2013 est). Area: now over 700 sq km (270 sq miles), increased in recent years as a result of land reclamation schemes

2. the capital of the republic of Singapore: a major international port; administratively not treated as a city

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Singapore Cultural  

1. An island republic in Southeast Asia at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.

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Discover More

It is one of the world's biggest and busiest ports.

Though only 225 square miles in size, it is a major economic power in Asia.

A British colony from 1946 to 1959, Singapore then became independent.

Other Word Forms

• Singaporean noun

Example Sentences

The announcement came just days after Microsoft disclosed investment plans for Singapore and Thailand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The economist expects the tariff to apply to branded pharmaceuticals for which no exemptions have been negotiated, which would mainly affect economies such as Singapore, India and China, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Tested in Singapore in January, the system lets a copter crew launch a drone, control it from the cockpit and receive live footage to locate an area or a target without putting themselves at risk.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Mickelson sat out of the first four events of the 2026 LIV Golf season, at Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong and Singapore.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Ben swore he had talked to a guy he used to work with in Singapore, who had his finger on the pulse in Thailand.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis