Middle East
noun
Also called Mideast.
(loosely) the area from Libya E to Afghanistan, usually including Egypt, Sudan, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the other countries of the Arabian peninsula.
(formerly) the area including Iran, Afghanistan, India, Tibet, and Burma.
OTHER WORDS FROM Middle East
Middle Eastern, adjective, noun Middle Easterner, nounBritish Dictionary definitions for middle eastern (1 of 2)
Middle Eastern
adjective
of or relating to the Middle East or its inhabitants
British Dictionary definitions for middle eastern (2 of 2)
Middle East
noun
(loosely) the area around the E Mediterranean, esp Israel and the Arab countries from Turkey to North Africa and eastwards to Iran
(formerly) the area extending from the Tigris and Euphrates to Myanmar
Cultural definitions for middle eastern
Middle East
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.
notes for Middle East
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.
notes for 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.