Netherlands

[neth-er-luhndz]

noun

1. (used with a singular or plural verb),  the, a kingdom in W Europe, bordering on the North Sea, Germany, and Belgium. 13,433 sq. mi. (34,790 sq. km). Capitals: Amsterdam and The Hague.

Netherlands

/ ˈnɛðələndz /

noun

1. Also called: Holland. Dutch name: Nederland. a kingdom in NW Europe, on the North Sea: declared independence from Spain in 1581 as the United Provinces; became a major maritime and commercial power in the 17th century, gaining many overseas possessions; formed the Benelux customs union with Belgium and Luxembourg in 1948 and was a founder member of the Common Market, now the European Union. It is mostly flat and low-lying, with about 40 per cent of the land being below sea level, much of it on polders protected by dykes. Official language: Dutch. Religion: Christian majority, Protestant and Roman Catholic, large nonreligious minority. Currency: euro. Capital: Amsterdam, with the seat of government at The Hague. Pop: 16 805 037 (2013 est). Area: 41 526 sq km (16 033 sq miles)

2. the kingdom of the Netherlands together with the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, esp as ruled by Spain and Austria before 1581; the Low Countries

Other Word Forms

• Netherlander noun
• Netherlandian adjective

Example Sentences

Mr Alekari's journey had seen him bike through the likes of Iran, Nepal, China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan - before he went through Europe, visiting numerous nations including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France.

From BBC

England could be in the ignominious position of having to go through a qualifier against the likes of Netherlands, Scotland and the USA.

From BBC

James had played a key role in getting England through the group stage - she scored twice in the 4-0 win over the Netherlands.

From BBC

In Europe, the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands form the western storm-naming group.

From BBC

That in itself would have been a setback to Norris, who had arrived in the Netherlands after winning three of the past four races.

From BBC