Mecca
[ mek-uh ]
/ ˈmɛk ə /
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noun
Also Mek·ka; Mak·kah [mak-kuh, -kah] /ˈmæk kə, -kɑ/ . a city in and the capital of Hejaz, in westerm Saudi Arabia: birthplace of Muhammad; spiritual center of Islam.
(often lowercase) any place that many people visit or hope to visit: The president's birthplace is a mecca for his admirers.
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OTHER WORDS FROM Mecca
Meccan, adjective, nounWords nearby Mecca
mebendazole, mebi-, mec, mecamylamine, mecate, Mecca, Mecca balsam, Meccano, mech., mechan-, mechanic
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use Mecca in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for Mecca
Mecca
Mekka
/ (ˈmɛkə) /
noun
a city in W Saudi Arabia, joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia: birthplace of Mohammed; the holiest city of Islam, containing the Kaaba. Pop: 1 529 000 (2005 est)Arabic name: Makkah
(sometimes not capital) a place that attracts many visitorsAthens is a Mecca for tourists
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Cultural definitions for Mecca (1 of 2)
Mecca
The birthplace of Muhammad, and thus the holiest city for Muslims. Muslims face in the direction of Mecca when they pray, and they are expected to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives. Mecca is in present-day Saudi Arabia.
notes for Mecca
Figuratively, a “mecca” is any place that attracts a great many people, especially for a particular reason: “Vail is a mecca for skiers.”
Cultural definitions for Mecca (2 of 2)
notes for Mecca
notes for Mecca
A “mecca” is a place that attracts people: “Hollywood is a mecca for would-be actors and actresses.”
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.