[koo
r-uh-sou, -soh, kyoor-; koor-uh-sou, -soh, kyoor-] 
| 1. | the main island of the Netherlands Antilles, off the NW coast of Venezuela. 159,072; 173 sq. mi. (448 sq. km). Capital: Willemstad. |
| 2. | Netherlands Antilles. |
| 3. | (lowercase) Also, cu⋅ra⋅çao [kyoor-uh-soh, -soh-uh] . a cordial or liqueur flavored with the peel of the sour orange. |
| a Netherlands overseas territory in the Caribbean Sea, N and NE of Venezuela; includes the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, and St. Eustatius, and the S part of St. Martin: considered an integral part of the Dutch realm. 247,148; 366 sq. mi. (948 sq. km). Capital: Willemstad. |
| cu·ra·çao (kyŏŏr'ə-sō', -sou', kŏŏr'-) n. A liqueur flavored with the peel of the sour orange. [After Curaçao.] |
| Cu·ra·çao (kŏŏr'ə-sou', -sō', kyŏŏr'-, kŏŏr'ə-sou', -sō', kyŏŏr'-) An island of the Netherlands Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea off the northwest coast of Venezuela. It was discovered in 1499 and settled by the Spanish in 1527. The Dutch gained control in 1634, although the British held the island during the Napoleonic Wars (1807-1815). Oil refining and tourism are the major industries. |
Group of islands, administered by The Netherlands, in the Caribbean Sea, off the northern coast of Venezuela.
Note: The principal islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, combining Caribbean beaches and Dutch charm, are popular resorts.