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.

---

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))

---

Istanbul Cultural  

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

---

Discover More

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

In September 2023, the DEA asked Selma to meet Kassis in Istanbul with two money launderers and another Colombian asset posing as an arms inspector.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

He is going on an Eastern Mediterranean cruise in a few weeks, from Athens to Istanbul, with stops at several Greek islands and several stops in Turkey, but “I’m not canceling it.”

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

It was the summer of 2016, and my family and I were travelling back to the States from Bangladesh — an arduous 23-hour-long journey that was further extended by a 12+ hour layover in Istanbul.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

It was hard to believe that this same side struggled to score across 180 minutes against Galatasaray in Istanbul this season, and put in a dull display against Tottenham on the weekend.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

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

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