Balkh

American

[bahlkh] / bɑlx /

noun

a town in northern Afghanistan: capital of ancient Bactria; center of Zoroastrianism.

Balkh British

/ bɑːlk /

noun

a region of N Afghanistan, corresponding to ancient Bactria. Chief town: Mazar-i-Sharif

"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.

However, last month, a spokesperson for the Taliban governor in the northern province of Balkh said internet access was being blocked "for the prevention of vices".

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2025

Born in Balkh, he spent time in his 20s as a volunteer surveying archaeological sites in northern Afghanistan, including some of those the researchers say have been bulldozed.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2024

Violations were recorded across all 34 provinces, with the greatest number recorded in Kabul, Kandahar and Balkh provinces.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 21, 2023

The former university student once attended classes in law and political science at northern Balkh province's main university.

From Reuters • Aug. 10, 2023

Balkh and Babylon are constantly interchanged in Persian belles lettres.

From The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam by Khayyam, Omar

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