Switzerland

[ swit-ser-luh nd ]

/ ˈswɪt sər lənd /

noun

a republic in central Europe. 15,944 sq. mi. (41,294 sq. km). Capital: Bern.

Examples from the Web for switzerland

Andrew still plans to fly to Davos in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum on January 21, representing the British government.
From Playboy Prince to Dirty Old Man?|Tom Sykes|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
After reading The Game in 2007, he says, he started going out in Switzerland and practicing RSD methods.
The Secret World of Pickup Artist Julien Blanc|Brandy Zadrozny|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“In almost all rural areas of Switzerland, it is customary to eat cats and dogs,” she says.
Will the Swiss Quit Cooking their Kittens and Puppies?|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yes, animal rights activists are trying to ban the eating of cats and dogs in Switzerland.
Will the Swiss Quit Cooking their Kittens and Puppies?|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Her mother Ursula is from Switzerland, and her father Sayed is from Pakistan.
How A Muslim Dad Reacted To His Daughter Coming Out|Moral Courage|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now, I defy the most able Englishman to go to Switzerland and either to gain that income, or to spend it there.
The Old Showmen and the Old London Fairs|Thomas Frost
We have, therefore, to draw the fatal conclusion that Switzerland is doomed should capitalist imperialism endure.
The Forerunners|Romain Rolland
The General was impressed with the view, but he was getting used to grand scenes in Switzerland; they are everywhere.
Twenty Years in Europe|Samuel H. M. Byers
Nothing in history has been more remarkable than the union of the cantons and cities of the little republic of Switzerland.
A Book of Golden Deeds|Charlotte M. Yonge
Switzerland was spending 20,000 a day, a large sum for a small country.
New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 2, May, 1915|Various

British Dictionary definitions for switzerland

Switzerland

/ (ˈswɪtsələnd) /

noun

a federal republic in W central Europe: the cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden formed a defensive league against the Hapsburgs in 1291, later joined by other cantons; gained independence in 1499; adopted a policy of permanent neutrality from 1516; a leading centre of the Reformation in the 16th century. It lies in the Jura Mountains and the Alps, with a plateau between the two ranges. Official languages: German, French, and Italian; Romansch minority. Religion: mostly Protestant and Roman Catholic. Currency: Swiss franc. Capital: Bern. Pop: 7 996 026 (2013 est). Area: 41 288 sq km (15 941 sq miles)German name: Schweiz French name: Suisse Italian name: Svizzera Latin name: Helvetia (hɛlˈviːʃə)

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

Word Origin and History for switzerland

Switzerland

named for Schwyz, one of its original cantons. On postage stamps, etc., identified by the Roman name for the region, Helvetia, to avoid having to print the four different forms of the name in the country’s four official languages: Suisse, Schweiz, Svizzera, Svizra.

Culture definitions for switzerland

Switzerland

Republic in central Europe, bordered by France to the west, Germany to the north, Liechtenstein and Austria to the east, and Italy to the east and south. Its capital is Bern, and its largest city is Zurich.

Note

Known for its strict neutrality, Switzerland maintained armed neutrality in both World War I and World War II.

Note

Swiss banks allow depositors to be identified by a number known only to the depositor and a few bank officials; private fortunes can therefore be kept secret.