Crimea

American  

[krahy-mee-uh, kri-] / kraɪˈmi ə, krɪ- /

noun

1. the Crimea, a peninsula in southeastern Ukraine, between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

2. a former autonomous republic of the Soviet Union, later a region of Ukraine. About 10,000 sq. mi. (25,900 sq. km).

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Crimea British  

/ kraɪˈmɪə /

noun

1. Russian name: Krym.  a peninsula and autonomous region in Ukraine between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov: a former autonomous republic of the Soviet Union (1921–45), part of the Ukrainian SSR from 1945 until 1991

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Crimea Cultural  

1. Peninsula in the extreme southern Ukraine, bordered by the Black Sea to the east, south, and west.

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Discover More

As a former part of the Russian empire, Crimea was one of the strongholds of opposition to the Soviet government after the Russian Revolution.

It was occupied by German troops from 1941 to 1945.

The Crimean War of the 1850s, fought between Russian forces and the allied armies of Britain, France, Turkey, and Sardinia, was the scene of the battle described in “The Charge of the Light Brigade.”

Other Word Forms

• Crimean adjective

Example Sentences

When Russia started using the Shaheds on the battlefield, a delegation of several dozen Iranian officers gathered in Crimea to watch footage of the effects on Ukrainian cities and front-line positions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

He is known for his love of leading from near the front lines, including in raids on Russia-occupied Crimea or logistics operations around the embattled town of Pokrovsk in Ukraine’s east.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

Myrmekion was an Ancient Greek colony founded by the Ionians in the first half of the Sixth Century BCE located in contemporary Crimea.

From BBC • Dec. 11, 2025

Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said its air defences shot down 174 Ukrainian drones overnight in parts of Russia and occupied Crimea.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2025

It was a national project to select landing sites for future passenger airports in the Crimea, Caucasus, and Sea of Azov areas.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein