ENGLISH
REFERENCE

congolese

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌkɑnɡəˈɫiz// con·golese

adj. relating to the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the Republic of the Congo, or the people who live there.

adj. relating to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, or their respective inhabitants and cultures.


SIMPLE

We enjoyed listening to some Congolese music last night.

CONTEXTUAL

The Congolese delegation arrived at the international summit to discuss regional trade agreements and environmental protection.

COMPLEX

Scholars often examine the influence of Congolese rhythmic structures on modern jazz, noting how traditional percussion techniques migrated across the Atlantic and evolved over centuries.

Origin

From French congolais, equivalent to Congo + -ese. For information about the -l-, see Togolese.

Usage

Capitalised in all contexts. Primarily functions as a relational adjective, though it can also refer to the people collectively when used with a definite article.

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