Spain
[ speyn ]
/ speɪn /
noun
a kingdom in SW Europe. Including the Balearic and Canary islands, 194,988 sq. mi. (505,019 sq. km). Capital: Madrid.
Spanish
España.
OTHER WORDS FROM Spain
an·ti-Spain, adjective pro-Spain, adjectiveExample sentences from the Web for spain
British Dictionary definitions for spain
Spain
/ (speɪn) /
noun
a kingdom of SW Europe, occupying the Iberian peninsula between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic: a leading European power in the 16th century, with many overseas possessions, esp in the New World; became a republic in 1931; under the fascist dictatorship of Franco following the Civil War (1936–39) until his death in 1975; a member of the European Union. It consists chiefly of a central plateau (the Meseta), with the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountains in the north and the Sierra Nevada in the south. Official language: Castilian Spanish, with Catalan, Galician, and Basque official regional languages. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: euro. Capital: Madrid. Pop: 47 370 542 (2013 est). Area: 504 748 sq km (194 883 sq miles)
Spanish name: España
Cultural definitions for spain
Spain
Constitutional monarchy in southwestern Europe, consisting of the Spanish mainland (bordered to the northwest by France and to the west by Portugal), the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Madrid.
notes for Spain
During the sixteenth century, Spain was the greatest world power. Its success was based partially on the riches it acquired in the
New World (
see
Latin America
and
South America).
notes for Spain
notes for Spain
In the
Spanish-American War, the United States defeated Spain, freed
Cuba from Spanish colonial rule, and seized a number of former Spanish colonies, including
Puerto Rico,
Guam, and the
Philippines.
notes for Spain
In the
Spanish Civil War,
conservatives led by General Francisco
Franco overthrew the second Spanish
Republic.
notes for Spain
The Spanish
monarchy was fully restored in 1975 after Franco's death. He had been dictator (
see
dictatorship) for thirty-six years.
notes for Spain
Under King Juan Carlos, Spain has established a political
democracy and has been integrated into the European community.
notes for Spain
Bullfighting is a popular spectator sport in Spain.
Idioms and Phrases with spain
Spain
see castles in the air (Spain).