Tripoli

American  

[trip-uh-lee] / ˈtrɪp ə li /

noun

1. Also Tripolitania one of the former Barbary States of N Africa: later a province of Turkey; now a part of Libya.

2. a seaport in and the capital of Libya, in the NW part.

3. a seaport in N Lebanon, on the Mediterranean.

4. (lowercase) any of several siliceous substances, as rottenstone and infusorial earth, used chiefly in polishing.

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Tripoli ¹ British  

/ ˈtrɪpəlɪ /

noun

1. Arabic name: Tarabulus el Gharb.  Ancient name: Oea.  the capital and chief port of Libya, in the northwest on the Mediterranean: founded by Phoenicians in about the 7th century _bc ; the only city that has survived of the three (Oea, Leptis Magna, and Sabratha) that formed the African Tripolis ("three cities"); fishing and manufacturing centre. Pop: 1 223 300 (2002 est)

2. Arabic name: Tarabulus esh Sham.  Ancient name: Tripolis.  a port in N Lebanon, on the Mediterranean: the second largest town in Lebanon; taken by the Crusaders in 1109 after a siege of five years; oil-refining and manufacturing centre. Pop: 212 000 (2005 est)

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tripoli ² British  

/ ˈtrɪpəlɪ /

noun

1. a lightweight porous siliceous rock derived by weathering and used in a powdered form as a polish, filter, etc

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Tripoli Cultural  

1. Capital of Libya and the largest city in the country, located in northwestern Libya.

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Discover More

The city dates back to the seventh century b.c.

United States war planes attacked Tripoli in 1986 in retaliation for Libyan terrorist acts against American citizens.

Other Word Forms

• Tripolitan noun

Etymology

Origin of tripoli

C17: named after _Tripoli , in Libya or in Lebanon

Example Sentences

This weekend, the USS Tripoli and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit entered the region.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

On Saturday, the USS Tripoli, a naval warship, arrived in the Middle East carrying about 3,500 sailors and Marines and a transport of fighter planes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

US Central Command said on X that the newly-arrived sailors and marines were part of a unit led by the warship USS Tripoli, which also includes assault and transport assets.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Still, the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship carrying around 3,500 Marines and sailors, arrived in the Middle East on Friday.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

On June 22, 1893, during maneuvers off Tripoli, this marvel of naval technology had been struck by the H.M.S.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson