Word
belgium
Phoneticsbel·gium
/ˈbɛɫdʒəm/
Definition
n. a country in Western Europe between France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
n. a sovereign state in Western Europe, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, with its capital in Brussels.
Examples
“We are planning a trip to Belgium this summer.”
“Many international diplomats live in Belgium because the capital city serves as the administrative heart of Europe.”
“The linguistic divide in Belgium between the Dutch-speaking north and the French-speaking south has shaped much of the nation's political structure and cultural identity over the last century.”
Examples
simple
“We are planning a trip to Belgium this summer.”
contextual
“Many international diplomats live in Belgium because the capital city serves as the administrative heart of Europe.”
complex
“The linguistic divide in Belgium between the Dutch-speaking north and the French-speaking south has shaped much of the nation's political structure and cultural identity over the last century.”
Usage
Always capitalized as a proper noun; usually used without an article.
Teaching tip
Remind students that the adjective and nationality is 'Belgian'.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin Belgium, from the name of the tribe of Belgae.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/belgium