Ostia

American

[os-tee-uh, aw-styah] / ˈɒs ti ə, ˈɔ styɑ /

noun

a town in central Italy, SW of Rome: ruins from 4th century b.c.; site of ancient port of Rome.

Ostia British

/ ˈɒstɪə /

noun

an ancient town in W central Italy, originally at the mouth of the Tiber but now about 6 km (4 miles) inland: served as the port of ancient Rome; harbours built by Claudius and Trajan; ruins excavated since 1854

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Arm in arm, young people of different faiths perform the dabke, an Arabic folk dance, in the Italian port of Ostia, elated by a visit from Pope Leo XIV.

From Barron's • Oct. 18, 2025

During its reception at Ostia, the ship was grounded on a shoal, but Claudia Quinta was able to miraculously pull it to safety.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

One of the highlights of the exhibition is a large marble plaque showing a vivid scene at Rome's sea port of Ostia.

From BBC • May 15, 2021

I attended a Bold Spirit “virtual visit” where Mary Jane Cuyler discussed Roman ruins at Ostia, Italy, where she’s field director of excavations at an unearthed synagogue.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 9, 2020

Jacopo recovered his spirits as his foot touched land, and though the ruddiness of his cheek had paled a little, he was quite himself again by the time we crossed the Stagno di Ostia.

From The Honour of Savelli A Romance by Levett-Yeats, S. (Sidney)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023