macao
macao — noun
1. A self-governing part of southeastern China that runs its own laws and money but
A self-governing part of southeastern China that runs its own laws and money but is still under Chinese control; it once belonged to Portugal and is famous today for its huge casinos. It covers about 23 square kilometres and has roughly 552,000 residents.
Tariq flew to Macao last summer to see its churches and bright casino lights.
proper noun: a destination you travel to
Many tourists take a short ferry from Hong Kong to Macao for a weekend trip.
collocation: ferry / trip to Macao
Macao returned to Chinese control in 1999 after more than four hundred years under Portugal.
subject in main clause; historical fact
The casinos in Macao earn more money each year than those in Las Vegas.
Indra studied the food of Macao, where Chinese and Portuguese cooking blend together.
- the people of Macao
- born in Macao
- the streets of Macao
- Macau
the Portuguese-style spelling; both names point to the same place
Usage Note
Refers to the whole self-governing region. Distinguish from sense 3, which names only the city inside this region, and from sense 2, which names the narrow strip of land the region grew from.
Common Mistakes
2. A narrow strip of land sticking out from Guangdong province in southeastern Chin
A narrow strip of land sticking out from Guangdong province in southeastern China, sitting in the Pearl River mouth just to the west of Hong Kong. It forms the original core of the wider self-governing region.
On the map, Lakshmi traced the thin strip of Macao reaching into the sea.
geographical feature: a strip of land
The peninsula of Macao lies west of Hong Kong, across a stretch of open water.
highlights position relative to Hong Kong
Fishing boats once filled the small bays along the rocky edge of Macao.
Two small islands sit south of the Macao headland, joined to it by bridges.
Élise sailed past the tip of Macao as her ship entered the Pearl River.
- the tip of Macao
- the coast of Macao
- Macao Peninsula
the full geographical name for this strip of land
Usage Note
Names the physical headland only, not the political region built around it. Distinguish from sense 1, which covers the whole self-governing region, and sense 3, the main city.
3. The largest town in the self-governing region of the same name, home to about 46
The largest town in the self-governing region of the same name, home to about 469,000 people and serving as its centre for business, travel, and government.
Liam booked a small hotel in the heart of Macao, near the main square.
proper noun: a city you stay in
The narrow streets of Macao fill with shoppers and street food every evening.
collocation: the streets of Macao
Madison spent a morning walking through the old town of Macao before her flight home.
Nearly half a million people live and work inside the city of Macao.
Trains and buses carry workers into Macao from nearby towns each morning.
- the city of Macao
- downtown Macao
- Macau city
spelled with the Portuguese-style ending; same city
Usage Note
Names the city specifically. When the same word is used for the whole region (sense 1) or the headland (sense 2), the surrounding words usually make the wider meaning clear.
Word family
- MacaneseadjectiveC1
- MacanesenounC1
Common collocations
Nouns
- the people of Macao
- the city of Macao
- the casinos of Macao
Phrases
- a trip to Macao
- born in Macao
Prepositions
- in Macao
- to Macao
- from Macao
Etymology
The name is widely thought to come from A-Ma Gau, meaning 'Bay of A-Ma', after a Chinese sea goddess whose temple stood near where Portuguese traders first landed in the sixteenth century. Portuguese sailors heard the local name and wrote it down as Macau; the spelling Macao spread through English use.