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  • Egypt
    Egypt
    noun
    Arab Republic of Egypt. a republic in northeastern Africa. 386,198 sq. mi. (1,000,252 sq. km). Cairo.
  • Egypt.
    Egypt.
    abbreviation

Egypt

1 American  
[ee-jipt] / ˈi dʒɪpt /

noun

  1. Formerly United Arab Republic.  Arabic Misr.  Arab Republic of Egypt. a republic in northeastern Africa. 386,198 sq. mi. (1,000,252 sq. km). Cairo.

  2. an ancient kingdom in northeastern Africa: divided into the Nile Delta Lower Egypt and the area from Cairo south to the Sudan Upper Egypt.


Egypt. 2 American  
Or Egypt.

abbreviation

  1. Egyptian.


Egypt British  
/ ˈiːdʒɪpt /

noun

  1. Official name: Arab Republic of Egypt.  Former official name (1958–71): United Arab Republic.  a republic in NE Africa, on the Mediterranean and Red Sea: its history dates back about 5000 years. Occupied by the British from 1882, it became an independent kingdom in 1922 and a republic in 1953. Over 96 per cent of the total area is desert, with the chief areas of habitation and cultivation in the Nile delta and valley. Cotton is the main export. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: Muslim; Sunni majority. Currency: pound. Capital: Cairo. Pop: 85 294 388 (2013 est). Area: 997 739 sq km (385 229 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

Egypt 1 Cultural  
  1. An ancient empire in Africa that was centered on the Nile River. Ruled by a pharaoh, Egypt figures prominently in many events in the Bible (see also Bible), including the stories of Joseph and his brothers and of Moses and the Exodus. (See under “World Geography.”)


Egypt 2 Cultural  
  1. Officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, a country in northeastern Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Israel and the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west. The principal geographic feature of the country is the Nile River. Its capital and largest city is Cairo. (See also Alexandria.)


Discover More

Egypt was the first Arab nation to make peace with Israel (see Arab-Israeli conflict), a feat accomplished after Egyptian President Anwar Sadat traveled to Israel in 1977 to meet Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Sadat was later assassinated by Muslim extremists.

Egypt is the site of one of man's earliest civilizations, which flourished from about 3100 b.c. to 30 b.c., when it became part of the Roman Empire. Many ancient works of art and architecture survive, including the pyramids and the Sphinx.

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.

See Examples For:

Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday he expected Egypt to join a joint defence agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan designed to stabilise the region, calling the country a "natural partner on all issues".

From Barron's Aug. 9, 2026

Five of the seven African countries on the Fifa Council - Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania and Comoros - have already backed him publicly.

From BBC Aug. 6, 2026

A Muslim whose parents emigrated from Egypt, he graduated from the University of Michigan, where he was on the lacrosse team.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 5, 2026

Yunes said the siblings, who both have a genetic eye condition and asked not to use their family name for fear of reprisals, spent 18 months in Egypt before travelling to Europe.

From Barron's Aug. 5, 2026

They told me it was carved out of granite in Egypt many centuries ago & brought to Alexandria by Augustus Caesar.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman

“When people here learn about the Holocaust, it’s not like when others learn about antiquity or ancient Egypt. It’s not just about history, it’s about creating a collective identity that itself creates a collective responsibility.”

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 8, 2026

"Experts say that fruitcake was started clear back in ancient Egypt. And in Roman times, they fed soldiers that because it lasted forever, because sugar is a preservative."

From Salon Dec. 17, 2023

“We see what goes on in Egypt. So even if stuff like this happens sometimes, it’s still a safe and relaxed place in comparison,” he said in Arabic.

From Slate Aug. 9, 2023

"A book has become a luxury item here in Egypt. It's not a basic commodity like food and people are saving on luxuries," says Mohammed El-Baaly of Sefsafa Publishing House.

From BBC Jan. 24, 2023

“Before we go,” I said, “one quick question. They didn’t have trucks and cranes and stuff like that in ancient Egypt. If this thing weighs over two hundred tons, how did it get to America?”

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman

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