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Spain

[speyn]

–noun

a kingdom in SW Europe. Including the Balearic and Canary islands, 39,244,195; 194,988 sq. mi. (505,019 sq. km). Capital: Madrid.

Spanish, España.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Spain (spān)

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A country of southwest Europe comprising most of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic and Canary Islands. Inhabited since the Stone Age, the region was colonized by Phoenicians and Greeks and later ruled by Carthage and Rome (after 201 B.C.). Barbarians first invaded Spain in A.D. 409 but were supplanted by Moors from North Africa (711-719), who organized a kingdom known for its learning and splendor. The Moors were gradually displaced by small Christian states and were ousted from their last stronghold, Granada, in 1492. Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile then became rulers of a united Spain, which became a world power through exploration and conquest. After the empire was lost in the 18th and 19th centuries, Spain experienced social and economic unrest that culminated in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and the rise of Francisco Franco. After Franco's death in 1975 the monarchy was restored under King Juan Carlos, who oversaw the creation of a parliamentary democracy. Madrid is the capital and the largest city. Population: 40,400,000.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Spain

Constitutional monarchy in southwestern Europe, consisting of the Spanish mainland (bordered to the northwest by France and to the west by Portugal), the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Madrid.

Note: During the sixteenth century, Spain was the greatest world power. Its success was based partially on the riches it acquired in the New World (see Latin America and South America).

Note: The destruction of the Spanish Armada, a fleet sent to conquer England in 1588, marked the beginning of the decline of Spanish power.

Note: In the Spanish-American War, the United States defeated Spain, freed Cuba from Spanish colonial rule, and seized a number of former Spanish colonies, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Note: In the Spanish Civil War, conservatives led by General Francisco Franco overthrew the second Spanish Republic.

Note: The Spanish monarchy was fully restored in 1975 after Franco's death. He had been dictator (see dictatorship) for thirty-six years.

Note: Under King Juan Carlos, Spain has established a political democracy and has been integrated into the European community.

Note: Bullfighting is a popular spectator sport in Spain.

Note: Basque separatists have carried out many acts of terrorism against Spain.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Spain

c.1205, from Anglo-Fr. Espayne, from L.L. Spania, from L. Hispania (see Spaniard). The usual O.E. form was Ispania.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Spain

Paul expresses his intention (Rom. 15:24, 28) to visit Spain. There is, however, no evidence that he ever carried it into effect, although some think that he probably did so between his first and second imprisonment. (See TARSHISH.)

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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Spain

see castles in the air (Spain).

Search another word or see Spain on Thesaurus | Reference

Spain
Spain's official tourism website: Advice, info, tips and more

www.spain.info

Free Spain Fact Sheet
For people considering Investing, Visiting, or Living in Spain

www.InternationalLiving.com/Spain

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