Brunei

IPA/bɹuːnˈaɪ/
KK[brunˈaɪ]IPA/bruːnˈaɪ/

Brunei — noun

1. a small country on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, with a population of

1.nounA2
Definition

a small country on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, with a population of under half a million people and an economy based largely on oil and natural gas.

Example

Rachid's cousin moved to Brunei last year for a job at an oil company.

proper noun as subject of sentence

Brunei shares the island of Borneo with Malaysia and Indonesia.

collocation: shares [land feature] with [neighbours]

Common collocations
  • small country like Brunei
  • Southeast Asian nation of Brunei
  • the kingdom of Brunei

Usage Note

Brunei is a proper noun and is always written with a capital letter. It does not take an article (the Brunei) in most contexts, except in phrases like the country of Brunei or the nation of Brunei.

Common Mistakes

The Brunei is a small country.
Brunei is a small country.
Country names rarely take 'the' unless the name includes a common noun (e.g. 'the Philippines').
Brunei has many Brunei's restaurants.
Brunei has many Bruneian restaurants.
Use the adjective 'Bruneian' to describe things from Brunei.

2. an independent sultanate on the northwestern coast of Borneo, ruled by a sultan,

2.nounB1
Definition

an independent sultanate on the northwestern coast of Borneo, ruled by a sultan, which was a British protectorate until it gained full independence in 1984. Its capital is Bandar Seri Begawan.

Example

Brunei became a fully independent sultanate in 1984, ending its time as a British protectorate.

historical context: independent sultanate

The capital of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, is known for its large golden mosque.

Common collocations
  • Sultan of Brunei
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • independent sultanate of Brunei
  • British protectorate of Brunei

Usage Note

This sense is used in historical, political, or geographical writing where the country's status as a sultanate or its colonial history is relevant. In everyday conversation about travel or general facts, Sense 1 is more common.

Common Mistakes

I went to the Brunei Darussalam.
I went to Brunei Darussalam.
The full official name does not take 'the' either.

Word family

  • Bruneian
    adjectiveB1
  • Bruneian
    nounB1

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the Sultan of Brunei
  • the capital of Brunei
  • the people of Brunei
  • Brunei's economy
  • Brunei's coastline

Phrases

  • the country of Brunei
  • the nation of Brunei
  • the sultanate of Brunei
  • Brunei Darussalam

Prepositions

  • in Brunei
  • from Brunei
  • to Brunei
  • near Brunei

Etymology

SanskritMalayEnglish

The name 'Brunei' is believed to come from the Sanskrit word 'Varunai' (वरुण), referring to the Hindu god Varuna, god of the ocean and seafarers. This reflects the early maritime influence of Indian culture on the region. The name was adopted by the Malay sultanate that ruled the area from the 14th century onward, and the country's full official name, Brunei Darussalam, adds the Arabic phrase 'Darussalam' meaning 'Abode of Peace'.