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.

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 Word Forms

• Middle Eastern adjective
• Middle Easterner noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Middle East¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Observers in easternmost parts of Africa, in the Middle East, most of Asia and western Australia should be able to witness the entire event from start to finish.

From BBC

India was once a key customer of the Middle East, but turned to discounted crude from Russia after Western sanctions were imposed on Moscow following the Ukraine invasion in 2022.

From BBC

A computer scientist at a university in the north of England is studying an image of a corpse - attempting to solve a mystery that has gripped the Middle East for nearly 50 years.

From BBC

Always masked in a Palestinian scarf, he became an idol to Hamas supporters throughout the Middle East.

From BBC

At least 20 people were killed including four health workers and five journalists who worked for international media outlets, including the Associated Press, Reuters, Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye.

From BBC