ENGLISH
REFERENCE

guinea

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈɡɪni// UK //ɡˈɪni// guinea Archaic Slang Vulgar

n. a country on the west coast of Africa. It is also used in the names of other places like Papua New Guinea or Equatorial Guinea.

n. a sovereign state located on the west coast of Africa; also used as a geographical descriptor for several other nations and regions in the tropics. When used as a slur for people of Italian descent, the term is highly offensive and vulgar.


SIMPLE

The traveler spent three weeks exploring Guinea.

CONTEXTUAL

The mining company invested heavily in the bauxite reserves found within the borders of Guinea.

COMPLEX

Diplomatic relations between the neighboring states improved significantly after the summit held in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, which focused on regional security and trade.

Synonyms
Origin

From Portuguese Guiné + -ia, which is of uncertain origin.

Usage

Usually functions as a proper noun and does not take an article unless part of a specific phrase like 'the Republic of Guinea'.

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