Middle East

American  

[mid-l eest] / ˈmɪd l ˈist /

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).

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Middle East British  

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

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Middle East Cultural  

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.

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Discover More

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

Derived Forms

• Middle Easterner
  noun
• Middle Eastern
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Middle East

First recorded in 1875–80

Compare meaning

How does middle-east compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Near East vs. Middle East

Example Sentences

In 2024, Task Force 59 launched a new unit focusing on "the operational deployment of unmanned systems teamed with manned operators to bolster maritime security across the Middle East region".

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

With no end in clear sight for the conflict in the Middle East, households are likely to be further hit by the resulting supply shock amid the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

But the broader tech rebound and a sigh of relief over the Middle East appear to have legs with stock futures pointing to more gains and oil prices lower again overnight.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

“The continued lack of progress towards restoring normal energy flows from the Middle East is reinforcing expectations of a prolonged period of elevated oil prices,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

The Allies also redrew the map of the Middle East.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman