Benin

geographical name

Be·​nin bə-ˈnēn How to pronounce Benin (audio)
-ˈnin;
ˈbe-nin
1
river about 100 miles (161 kilometers) long in southern Nigeria west of the Niger River flowing into the Bight of Benin
2
former kingdom of western Africa on the lower Niger River; incorporated into Nigeria after 1897
3
or formerly Dahomey country of western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; a republic, formerly a territory of French West Africa; official capital Porto-Novo, seat of government Cotonou area 43,484 square miles (112,622 square kilometers), population 11,341,000
4
or Benin City city in the western delta of the Niger River, southwestern Nigeria population 202,800
Beninese
bə-ˌni-ˈnēz How to pronounce Benin (audio)
-ˌnē-
-ˈnēs;
ˌbe-ni-ˈnēz
-ˈnēs
adjective or noun

Dictionary Entries Near Benin

Cite this Entry

“Benin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Benin. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Benin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!