French West Africa

proper noun

A federation of former French colonies in West Africa existing from 1895 to 1958, consisting of Dahomey (Benin), French Guinea (Guinea), the French Sudan (Mali), Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Upper Volta (Burkina Faso).

OriginFrench Afrique Occidentale française →
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. historicalA federation of former French colonies in West Africa existing from 1895 to 1958, consisting of Dahomey (Benin), French Guinea (Guinea), the French Sudan (Mali), Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Upper Volta (Burkina Faso).

Origin

  1. FrenchAfrique Occidentale française
  2. EnglishFrench West Africa

English rendering of French Afrique Occidentale française.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Norwegian Bokmål Fransk Vest-Afrika
  • Fransk Vest-Afrikaformer federation of French colonies in West Africa
Cite this entry
APA

French West Africa. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/French%20West%20Africa

MLA

“French West Africa.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/French%20West%20Africa. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “French West Africa,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/French%20West%20Africa.

Source: French West Africa on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.