Abu Dhabi

American

[ah-boo dah-bee] / ˈɑ bu ˈdɑ bi /

noun

a sheikdom in the N United Arab Emirates, on the S coast of the Persian Gulf.
the capital of this sheikdom.
the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Abu Dhabi British

/ ˈæbuː ˈdɑːbɪ /

noun

a sheikhdom (emirate) of SE Arabia, on the S coast of the Persian Gulf: the chief sheikhdom and capital of the United Arab Emirates, consisting principally of the port of Abu Dhabi and a desert hinterland; contains major oilfields. Pop: 476 000 (2005 est). Area: 67 350 sq km (25 998 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In Abu Dhabi, a gas complex shut after a fire broke out, the government said.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

However, discussions were particularly tense at the last ministerial meeting in 2024 in Abu Dhabi.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Luxury groups have invested heavily in the region in recent years, building extensive retail networks in cities and transport hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

The Paramount bid is even more complicated given that a significant portion of its backing — over $20 billion — is coming from the sovereign-wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Had they all trekked away to Saudi Arabia or Abu Dhabi?

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023