Middle East

[ mid-l eest ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Also called Mideast. (loosely) the area from Libya east to Afghanistan, usually including Egypt, Sudan, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the other countries of Arabia.
(formerly) the area including Iran, Afghanistan, India, Tibet, and Myanmar (Burma).

Middle East

noun

(loosely) the area around the E Mediterranean, esp Israel and the Arab countries from Turkey to North Africa and eastwards to Iran
(formerly) the area extending from the Tigris and Euphrates to Myanmar

Middle East

Region in western Asia and northeast Africa that includes the nations on the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt (see also Egypt ), Iran , Iraq , Israel , Jordan , Lebanon , Syria , and Turkey .

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Notes

As the site of such ancient civilizations as Phoenicia , Babylon (see also Babylon ), and Egypt, and the birthplace of Judaism , Christianity , and Islam , the Middle East is known as the cradle of Western civilization. The Greek Empire, Roman Empire , Persian Empire , and Ottoman Empire are among the great civilizations that developed and prospered in the Middle East.

A hotbed of religious and political strife ( see Arab-Israeli conflict and Persian Gulf War ), the Middle East attracted the attention of such powerful nations as Great Britain , the United States, and the Soviet Union eager to protect their strategic interests at the crossroads of Europe , Asia, and Africa, and their access to precious oil reserves.

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Other Word Forms

Middle Eastern adjective noun
Middle Easterner noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of Middle East¹

First recorded in 1875–80

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Compare Meanings

How does Middle East compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Near East vs. Middle East

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The backdrop for all this high drama, adding yet another twist to this elaborate puzzle, is the administration’s ongoing Iran nuclear negotiations, which are led by Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff.

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Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said: "The Syrian people deserve the opportunity to rebuild their country and economy, and a stable Syria is in the UK's national interest."

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Mr Johnson, senior vice president for manufacturing for Nissan's Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania operations, urged the government to support the automotive sector.

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At the time, it felt like another war in the Middle East was inevitable.

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Up to 24 of the latest F-35B stealth jets will join the carrier as it leads a multi-national fleet of warships to 40 countries across the Mediterranean, Middle East, south-east Asia, Japan and Australia.

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middle ear Middle Eastern

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