Dictionary.com



benin

benin


Benin, Bight of  
A wide indentation of the Gulf of Guinea in western Africa.
Be·nin    Audio Help   (bə-nĭn', bě-nēn')   

  1. A former kingdom of western Africa, now part of Nigeria. It flourished from the 14th to the 17th century.

  2. Formerly Da·ho·mey (də-hō'mē, dä-ô-mā') A country of western Africa. Originally made up of several ancient kingdoms colonized by France in the 19th century, it became independent in 1960 and was renamed Benin in 1975. Porto-Novo is the capital and Cotonou the largest city. Population: 8,080,000.

  3. also Benin City A city of southern Nigeria on the Benin River, about 161 km (100 mi) long. The city is known for its bronze works of art. Population: 1,120,000.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.