[zah-eer, zah-eer] 
| a paper money and monetary unit of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, equal to 100 makuta. |
[zah-eer, zah-eer] | 1. | Republic of, a former name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. |
| 2. | official name within the Democratic Republic of the Congo of the Congo River (the term Congo River is more widely used elsewhere). |
[kong-goh] | 1. | People's Republic of the, a republic in central Africa, W of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: formerly an overseas territory in French Equatorial Africa; now an independent member of the French Community. 2,583,198; 132,046 sq. mi. (341,999 sq. km). Capital: Brazzaville. Formerly, French Congo, Middle Congo. |
| 2. | Democratic Republic of the. Formerly, Zaire (1971–97), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1960–71), Belgian Congo (1908–60), Congo Free State (1885–1908). a republic in central Africa: a former Belgian colony; gained independence 1960. 47,440,362; 905,568 sq. mi. (2,345,410 sq. km). Capital: Kinshasa. |
| 3. | Also called Zaire. a river in central Africa, flowing in a great loop from SE Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic. ab. 3000 mi. (4800 km) long. |
| 4. | Kongo. |
| Za·ire (zī'îr, zä-îr') See Congo. Za·ir'e·an, Za·ir'i·an adj. & n. |
ɪər