eritrea

eritrea — noun

1. a country in northeastern Africa that lies along the Red Sea; it became a separa

1.nounA1
Definition

a country in northeastern Africa that lies along the Red Sea; it became a separate nation in 1993 after splitting from Ethiopia, and its capital city is Asmara.

Example

Lien's grandmother fled Eritrea during the war and settled in Sudan.

fled [country] during [event]

The capital of Eritrea, Asmara, is famous for its Italian colonial buildings.

capital of [country]

Common collocations
  • visit Eritrea
  • live in Eritrea
  • the capital of Eritrea
  • Eritrea gained independence
  • Eritrea borders
  • fled Eritrea
  • the people of Eritrea

Grammar Patterns

proper noun used with no article

Usage Note

Eritrea is a proper noun and is always capitalized. It is normally used without an article: 'She lives in Eritrea,' not 'She lives in the Eritrea.' The adjective form is Eritrean.

Common Mistakes

I visited the Eritrea last year.
I visited Eritrea last year.
country names do not take a definite article in most contexts.
Eritrea is a nation in the east part of Africa.' (vague)
Eritrea is a country in East Africa on the Red Sea coast.
be specific about its location to avoid confusion with neighbouring countries.

Word family

  • Eritrean
    adjectiveB1
  • Eritrean
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Djibouti are three neighbouring countries in the Horn of Africa that learners sometimes confuse because of their shared geography and entangled political history. Eritrea (reference sense noun/1) is a small coastal country on the Red Sea, about half the size of the United Kingdom, that became independent from Ethiopia in 1993. Ethiopia is a large, landlocked country immediately south and west of Eritrea; it is the second most populous country in Africa and was never colonised for a long period. Djibouti is a tiny, arid nation southeast of Eritrea, also on the Red Sea, and serves as a major port hub. Learners new to African geography should remember that Eritrea has a coastline (Ethiopia does not), and Djibouti is much smaller than both. A concrete example: 'Eritrea and Djibouti both have ports on the Red Sea, but Ethiopia relies on Djibouti's port for its sea trade.'

Eritrea ↗EthiopiaDjibouti ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • the country of
  • the people of
  • the history of
  • relations with

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekItalianEnglish

The name Eritrea comes from the ancient Greek name Erythra Thalassa (Ἐρυθρὰ Θάλασσα), meaning 'Red Sea.' Italian colonial authorities adopted Eritrea as the official name for the territory in the late 1800s, and the name was kept when the country gained full independence in 1993.