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Alhambra

[al-ham-bruh]
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noun
  1. a palace and citadel of the Moorish kings in Granada, Spain: built chiefly between 1248 and 1354.
  2. a city in SW California, near Los Angeles.
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Origin of Alhambra

< Spanish < Arabic al-ḥamrā' literally, the red
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for alhambra

Historical Examples

  • There is a wonderful building there called the Alhambra; it overlooks my house.

    Fair Margaret

    H. Rider Haggard

  • Go not to the Alhambra: the fort is impenetrable—the guard faithful.

    Leila, Complete

    Edward Bulwer-Lytton

  • The unfortunate Boabdil plunged once more amidst the recesses of the Alhambra.

    Leila, Complete

    Edward Bulwer-Lytton

  • After all, his visit to the Alhambra had brought some good to him.

    The Avenger

    E. Phillips Oppenheim

  • Alhambra, the palatial fortress of Granada (from al hamra—the red).

    Architecture

    Thomas Roger Smith

British Dictionary definitions for alhambra

Alhambra

noun
  1. a citadel and palace in Granada, Spain, built for the Moorish kings during the 13th and 14th centuries: noted for its rich ornamentation
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Derived FormsAlhambresque (ˌælhæmˈbrɛsk), adjective
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

Word Origin and History for alhambra

Alhambra

palace of the Moorish kings in Granada, Spanish, from Arabic (al kal'at) al hamra "the red (castle)," from fem. of ahmuru "red." So called for the sun-dried bricks of which its outer walls were built.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper