Near East

[ neer eest ]

noun

1. an indefinite geographical or regional term, usually referring to the countries of southwestern Asia, including Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and the other nations of Arabia. Compare Middle East ( def 1 ).

Near East

noun

1. another term for the Middle East
2. (formerly) the Balkan States and the area of the Ottoman Empire

Near East

1. A region in western Asia and northeastern Africa , often considered the same as the Middle East .

Other Words From

• Near Eastern adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Near East¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Despite international opposition, in Israel’s parliament there was wide support for the new legislation, which will prevent Israeli officials being in contact with Unrwa - the UN's relief and works agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near East.

From BBC

There is also a freeport near East Midlands airport which covers chunks of Leicester, Derby and Nottingham.

From BBC

However, when researchers from Johns Hopkins University vetted death statistics from the Ministry of Health and compared them to staff deaths reported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, they noticed similar death rates among Gazans and relief workers.

From Salon

Israel has effectively used the heightened tensions with Hezbollah as an opportunity to remove leaders, said Michael Knights, a researcher of Iranian proxy groups at the D.C.-based, pro-Israel Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

From Los Angeles Times

Matthew Levitt is the Fromer-Wexler senior fellow and director of the Reinhard program on counterterrorism and intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the author of “Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon’s Party of God,” the latest edition of which is to be released in September.

From Los Angeles Times