Benin
Pronunciation: /bɛˈniːn/
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Definition of Benin
- a country of West Africa, immediately west of Nigeria; population 8,791,800 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), West African languages; capital, Porto Novo. The country was conquered by the French in 1893 and became part of French West Africa. In 1960 it became fully independent. Former name (until 1975) Dahomey.
Derivatives
Pronunciation: /ˌbɛnɪˈniːz/
adjective & noun
Origin:
name adopted in 1975, formerly used of an African kingdom powerful in the 14th–17th cents