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

Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a leading opposition figure, was removed again from court on Wednesday, at the latest hearing in his trial for corruption, Turkish media said.

From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026

Stand-up comedian Deniz Göktaş has been placed under arrest by a court in Istanbul after he was held at the city's main airport over a performance that has attracted 9.4m views on YouTube.

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026

Elvan Kivilcim is a news assistant for The Wall Street Journal based in Istanbul.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 27, 2026

She first studied English language and literature at Istanbul University before deciding to pursue classical archaeology.

From Science Daily • Jun. 25, 2026

She didn’t know what it meant that Istanbul had been quiet for years, or that villages were abandoned and full of statues.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack