Syria

American  

[seer-ee-uh] / ˈsɪər i ə /

noun

1. Official Name Syrian Arab Republic.  a republic in SW Asia at the E end of the Mediterranean. 71,227 sq. mi. (184,478 sq. km). Damascus.

2. a territory mandated to France in 1922, including the present republics of Syria and Lebanon (Latakia and Jebel ed Druz were incorporated into Syria 1942): the French mandatory powers were nominally terminated as of January 1, 1944.

3. an ancient country in W Asia, including the present Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and adjacent areas: a part of the Roman Empire 64 b.c.–a.d.

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Syria British  

/ ˈsɪrɪə /

noun

1. a republic in W Asia, on the Mediterranean: ruled by the Ottoman Turks (1516–1918); made a French mandate in 1920; became independent in 1944; joined Egypt in the United Arab Republic (1958–61). Hafez al-Assad elected president in 1971 following a coup; after his death in 2000 Assad's son Bashar took over the presidency; his rule was challenged (from 2012) by an uprising that led to a civil war. Official language: Arabic. Religion: Muslim majority. Currency: Syrian pound. Capital: Damascus. Pop: 22 457 336 (2013 est). Area: 185 180 sq km (71 498 sq miles)

2. (formerly) the region between the Mediterranean, the Euphrates, the Taurus, and the Arabian Desert

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Syria Cultural  

1. Republic in the Middle East, bordered by Turkey to the northwest, north, and northeast; Iraq to the east and south; Jordan to the south; and Israel, the Mediterranean Sea, and Lebanon to the west. Its capital and largest city is Damascus.

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Syria was established from former Ottoman Empire territory in 1920 but dominated by France until the 1940s. It is extremely hostile toward Israel.

In the Six-Day War, in 1967, Israeli troops dislodged Syrian forces from the Golan Heights, which overlook Israeli territory.

Example Sentences

"If Christians were to disappear in large numbers, it would also mean the loss of educational and healthcare services in many of these countries -- in Lebanon, but also in Syria and elsewhere," he told AFP.

From Barron's

Kittleson, based in Rome, Italy, has covered conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

From BBC

The president's visit came after London announced the resumption of diplomatic relations with Syria in July 2025.

From Barron's

During the civil war in Syria, almost a million Syrians sought refuge in Germany.

From BBC

He was able to live off the rental revenue after he returned from being deployed to assemble missiles in Yemen and Syria for Iranian allies.

From The Wall Street Journal