Home British & World English Benin

Definition of Benin in English:

Benin

proper noun

  • A country of West Africa, immediately west of Nigeria; population 10,900,000 (estimated 2015); 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

Origin

Name adopted in 1975, formerly used of an African kingdom powerful in the 14th–17th centuries.

Pronunciation

Benin

/bɛˈniːn/