Philippines

American

[fil-uh-peenz, fil-uh-peenz] / ˈfɪl əˌpinz, ˌfɪl əˈpinz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

an archipelago of 7083 islands in the Pacific, SE of China: formerly (1898–1946) under the guardianship of the U.S.; now an independent republic. 114,830 sq. mi. (297,410 sq. km). Manila.

Philippines British

/ ˈfɪlɪˌpiːnz, ˌfɪlɪˈpiːnz /

noun

(functioning as singular) a republic in SE Asia, occupying an archipelago of about 7100 islands (including Luzon, Mindanao, Samar, and Negros): became a Spanish colony in 1571 but ceded to the US in 1898 after the Spanish-American War; gained independence in 1946. The islands are generally mountainous and volcanic. Official languages: Filipino, based on Tagalog, and English. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: peso. Capital: Manila. Pop: 105 720 644 (2013 est). Area: 300 076 sq km (115 860 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Philippines Cultural

Republic in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, comprising over seven thousand islands. Its capital and largest city is Manila.

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Named for Philip II, king of Spain during the sixteenth century.

Although Philippine independence had long been an important political issue, the country did not gain full independence until 1946.

It continues to be plagued by allegations of corruption in high places and by a Muslim insurgency.

The Spanish held control of the islands until 1898, when they were transferred to the United States after the Spanish-American War.

The country was under the virtual dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos from 1965 until 1986, when he was forced into exile in the United States.

Occupied by the Japanese during World War II, the islands were liberated by Allied troops under General Douglas MacArthur.

Etymology

Origin of Philippines

Named in 1544 by Ruy López de Villalobos (about 1500–44), Spanish explorer, who called the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas after Prince Philip of Austria, the Prince of Asturias at the time (later he became King Philip II of Spain)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Southeast Asia markets including the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand joined the upturn too.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Philippines and Thailand will release February inflation data in the week.

From The Wall Street Journal

He urged the judges not to confirm the charges and to free Duterte to "live out the rest of his days in peace" in the Philippines.

From Barron's

Enid, an illustrator based in the Philippines, has also recast the show in anime, inspired by that feeling of "I want what they have" which first drew her to BL, she says.

From BBC

The Philippine, US and Japanese militaries conducted joint exercises this week over the Bashi Channel that separates the Philippines from Taiwan, officials said Friday.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023