Middle East

[ mid-l eest ]

noun

1. 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.
2. (formerly) the area including Iran, Afghanistan, India, Tibet, and Myanmar (Burma).

Middle East

noun

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

Middle East

1. 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 .

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.

Other Words From

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of Middle East¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Migrants from the Middle East heading to Europe, rating their journeys in videos filmed inside lorries, boats and even on planes.

From BBC

This year’s winners made similarly impassioned speeches calling for peace in the Middle East.

From Los Angeles Times

The Middle East is a vastly different place since Trump left office in 2021.

From Los Angeles Times

The prime minister made a gesture to this strategy in the summer, pledging £84m for education and employment opportunities in Africa and Middle East.

From BBC

Amid escalating conflict in the Middle East and heightened political sensitivities, it remains to be seen how audiences will receive a film that revisits a tragedy that still haunts many today.

From Los Angeles Times