a former duchy of W Europe: divided when Belgium became independent (1830), the south forming the Belgian provinces of Antwerp and Brabant and the north forming the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands
2.
a former province of central Belgium; replaced in 1995 by the provinces of Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant
Word Origin and History for Brabant
region in eastern Belgium (in Middle Ages much more extensive), from Old High German brahha "newly broken land" (see break (v.)) + bant "region."