n.
Pronunciation: b ə - ' n ē n, - ' nin; ' be-nin
Function: geographical name
1 river ab 100 mi (161 km ) S Nigeria W of the Niger flowing into Bight of Benin
2 former kingdom W Africa on lower Niger River; incorporated in Nigeria after 1897
3 or formerly Da · ho · mey \ d ə - ' h ō -m ē \ country W Africa on Gulf of Guinea; a republic, formerly a territory of French West Africa capital Porto-Novo area 43,483 sq mi (112,621 sq km ), pop 5,074,000
4 or Benin City city SW Nigeria in W delta of Niger River pop 202,800
– Be · ni · nese \ b ə - ˌ ni- ' n ē z, - ˌ n ē -, - ' n ē s; ˌ be-ni- ' n ē z, - ' n ē s \ adjective or noun