noun
1. a self-governing commonwealth associated with the United States occupying the island of Puerto Rico (Freq. 17)
• Syn: ↑Porto Rico, ↑Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, ↑PR
• Instance Hypernyms: ↑commonwealth
• Part Holonyms: ↑Greater Antilles, ↑Caribbean
• Part Meronyms: ↑Porto Rico, ↑San Juan, ↑Culebra, ↑Vieques
2. the smallest and easternmost of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean
• Syn: ↑Porto Rico
• Instance Hypernyms: ↑island
• Part Holonyms: ↑Porto Rico, ↑Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, ↑PR
* * *
Puerto Rico [Puerto Rico]
an island in the West Indies, south-east of ↑Florida. The capital and largest city is San Juan. Puerto Ricans are US citizens but govern themselves, pay no US taxes and cannot vote in US elections. The island produces metals, chemicals and sugar and tobacco products. It was discovered by Christopher ↑Columbus in 1493, captured by Juan Ponce de León in 1508, passed to the US in 1898 after the ↑Spanish-American War, and became the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1952. Some Puerto Ricans want it to become a US state, and many have moved to New York.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.