Zanzibar

American  

[zan-zuh-bahr, zan-zuh-bahr] / ˈzæn zəˌbɑr, ˌzæn zəˈbɑr /

noun

1. an island off the E coast of Africa: with Pemba and adjacent small islands it formerly comprised a sultanate under British protection; became independent in 1963; now part of Tanzania. 640 sq. mi. (1,658 sq. km).

2. a seaport on W Zanzibar, Tanzania.

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Zanzibar British  

/ ˌzænzɪˈbɑː /

noun

1. an island in the Indian Ocean, off the E coast of Africa: settled by Persians and Arabs from the 7th century onwards; became a flourishing trading centre for slaves, ivory, and cloves; made a British protectorate in 1890, becoming independent within the Commonwealth in 1963 and a republic in 1964; joined with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Pop: 622 459 (2002)

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Other Word Forms

• Zanzibari adjective

Example Sentences

They were later told by Zuri Zanzibar, the hotel where the couple had been staying, that she had died.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Chemaf’s founder, Shiraz Virji, son of a Zanzibar spice merchant, once hired dozens of Gurkhas, Nepalese soldiers with a reputation for fierceness, to guard one of the company’s mines against incursions by informal miners.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Thirty live music venues closed in 2025, including notable clubs such as the Liverpool nightspot Zanzibar and Leicester's The Shed, which gave early exposure to Kasabian and nurtured the city's punk and metal scene.

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026

On Zanzibar in Tanzania Mr. Butler-Gallie regards the juxtaposition of faith and profit where a church stands over a cellar that once imprisoned slaves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

“Why, the Zanzibar Savannah, of course,” Von Marsh said, blinking.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older