Istanbul

American  

[is-tahn-bool, -tan-, is-tahn-bool, -tan-, is-tahm-bool] / ˌɪs tɑnˈbul, -tæn-, ˈɪs tɑnˌbʊl, -tæn-, ɪsˈtɑm bʊl /

Also Stamboul.

noun

1. a port in northwestern Turkey, on both sides of the Bosporus: built by Constantine I on the site of ancient Byzantium; capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and of the Ottoman Empire; capital removed to Ankara 1923.

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Istanbul British  

/ ˌɪstænˈbuːl /

noun

1. Former name (330–1926): Constantinople. Ancient name: Byzantium. a port in NW Turkey, on the western (European) shore of the Bosporus: the largest city in Turkey; founded in about 660 _bc by Greeks; refounded by Constantine the Great in 330 _ad as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire; taken by the Turks in 1453 and remained capital of the Ottoman Empire until 1922; industrial centre for shipbuilding, textiles, etc. Pop: 9 760 000 (2005 est))

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Istanbul Cultural  

1. Largest city in Turkey, located in the northwestern part of the country on both sides of the Bosporus.

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Formerly called Byzantium, then Constantinople, the city was the capital consecutively of the eastern branch of the Roman Empire, of the Byzantine Empire, and of the Ottoman Empire.

It is the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Istanbul

Tyler attended Groton with the newly appointed American consul in Istanbul.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

In a press release after the Istanbul panel, the IBA hinted there was more to come.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

The IBA website also featured photos of Donald Trump Jr. on stage with Kremlev at an event in Istanbul in September 2025.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

Ozgul Saki, an MP from the pro-Kurdish left-wing DEM party in Istanbul, said on X.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

I open a book on Istanbul and read about the Harem at the Topkapi Palace.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali