Aqaba

American  

[ah-kuh-buh, ak-uh-] / ˈɑ kə bə, ˈæk ə- /

Also Akaba

noun

1. a seaport in southwestern Jordan, at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba.

2. Gulf of Aqaba, an arm of the Red Sea, between Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 100 miles (160 km) long.

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Aqaba British  

/ ˈækəbə /

noun

1. the only port in Jordan, in the southwest, on the Gulf of Aqaba . Pop: 80 790 (2004)

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Etymology

Origin of Aqaba

First recorded in 1905–10; from Arabic; shortening of al-ʿaqabat Aylah “the mountain pass of Aylah”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Aqaba

At least one attack targeted Jordan’s only port, Aqaba.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

The port of Aqaba in Jordan serves as a base for sending goods to Baghdad and Basra in Iraq, while a Turkish corridor is also allowing goods into northern Iraq.

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

And after the outbreak was reported near Aqaba, one of its next stops was at a port in Egypt that receives ships from that Jordanian city.

From Science Magazine ● May 28, 2024

The spiky creatures - with defensive spines up to 50cm long - are familiar to scuba divers and snorkelers who flock to the Gulf of Aqaba for its clear waters.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2023

This cape forms the tip of Arabia Petraea, which lies between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba.

From Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by F. P. Walter