Babylon

American  

[bab-uh-luhn, -lon] / ˈbæb ə lən, -ˌlɒn /

noun

1. an ancient city of SW Asia, on the Euphrates River, famed for its magnificence and culture: capital of Babylonia and later of the Chaldean empire.

2. any rich and magnificent city believed to be a place of excessive luxury and wickedness.

3. a city on S Long Island, in SE New York.

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Babylon British  

/ ˈbæbɪlən /

noun

1. the chief city of ancient Mesopotamia: first settled around 3000 _bc See also Hanging Gardens of Babylon

2. offensive (in Protestant polemic) the Roman Catholic Church, regarded as the seat of luxury and corruption

3. derogatory any society or group in a society considered as corrupt or as a place of exile by another society or group, esp White Britain as viewed by some West Indians

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Babylon ¹ Cultural  

1. The capital of the ancient empire of Babylonia, which conquered Israel in the sixth century b.c. The Jews (see also Jews) were exiled to Babylon, which they found luxurious and corrupt. The prophet Daniel became a counselor to the king of Babylon (see the handwriting on the wall), and eventually the Israelites were allowed to return to their homeland. (See also Daniel in the lions' den.)

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Babylon ² Cultural  

1. A city in ancient Mesopotamia, famed for its hanging gardens (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) and for the sensual lifestyle of its people.

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Discover More

A “Babylon” is any place of sin and corruption.

The Jews (see also Jews) were taken captive into Babylon in the sixth century b.c. (See also under “The Bible.”)

Etymology

Origin of Babylon

via Latin and Greek from Hebrew Bābhél ; see _Babel

Example Sentences

That’s what makes Pope Leo’s stance against a modern-day Babylon even braver.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Unmentioned, the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great, still revered by Iranians, was the first world leader to grant freedom to the Jews, liberating them from captivity in Babylon.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Founded around 2000 BCE in Mesopotamia, Babylon grew into the largest city of its time and became a thriving center of culture and scholarship.

From Science Daily • Nov. 11, 2025

My family first lived with my father’s parents in Brooklyn before moving to Long Island, N.Y., first to Hicksville then North Babylon and, when I was 5, to West Islip.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

"How many miles to Babylon?" said the little man rhetorically.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman