Haiti

American  

[hey-tee] / ˈheɪ ti /

noun

1. Formerly Hayti.  a republic in the West Indies occupying the western part of the island of Hispaniola. 10,714 sq. mi. (27,750 sq. km). Port-au-Prince.

2. Also Hayti a former name of Hispaniola.

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Haiti British  

/ ˈheɪtɪ, hɑːˈiːtɪ /

noun

1. a republic occupying the W part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, the E part consisting of the Dominican Republic: ceded by Spain to France in 1697 and became one of the richest colonial possessions in the world, with numerous plantations; slaves rebelled under Toussaint L'Ouverture in 1793 and defeated the French; taken over by the US (1915–41) after long political and economic chaos; under the authoritarian regimes of François Duvalier ('Papa Doc') (1957–71) and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier ('Baby Doc') (1971–86); returned to civilian rule in 1990, but another coup in 1991 brought military rule, which was ended in 1994 with US intervention. Official languages: French and Haitian creole. Religions: Roman Catholic and voodoo. Currency: gourde. Capital: Port-au-Prince. Pop: 9 893 934 (2013 est). Area: 27 749 sq km (10 714 sq miles)

2. a former name for Hispaniola

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Haiti Cultural  

1. Republic in the West Indies, on the western third of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Its capital and largest city is Port-au-Prince.

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With its extremely low average income and literacy rate, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

In 1957, François (“Papa Doc”) Duvalier established a dictatorship; at his death in 1971, he was succeeded by his son, Jean Claude (“Baby Doc”), who was finally overthrown in 1986. Since then the government has changed several times through military coups. In 1994, U.S. troops arrived in Haiti in an effort to restore democratic government, however, the political and economic future of Haiti remains uncertain.

Example Sentences

Jean Henry Petit, head of the civil protection office in Northern Haiti, told local newspaper Le Nouvelliste that the toll could rise due to the large number of people reported missing.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Citadelle Laferrière, also known as Citadelle Henry, was built by revolutionary Henri Christophe shortly after Haiti gained independence from France.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Scotland will play two group-stage matches at the venue - against Haiti on 14 June and Morocco five days later - while England face Ghana there on 23 June.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Plantation slavery was perfected in the West Indies, notably on the sugar islands of British Barbados and present-day Haiti, where the system proved immensely profitable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

One was that of friends and allies urging him to concentrate on the big issues of world health; the other was the voice of Haiti, saying, “My child is dying.”

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French