Memphis
1 Americannoun
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a port in SW Tennessee, on the Mississippi.
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a ruined city in Lower Egypt, on the Nile, S of Cairo: the ancient capital of Egypt.
noun
adjective
noun
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a port in SW Tennessee, on the Mississippi River: the largest city in the state; a major cotton and timber market; Memphis State University (1909). Pop: 645 978 (2003 est)
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a ruined city in N Egypt, the ancient centre of Lower Egypt, on the Nile: administrative and artistic centre, sacred to the worship of Ptah
Etymology
Origin of Memphis
The name was allegedly suggested to Ettore Sottsass, one of the group's founders, by the Bob Dylan song “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” on the evening of December 11, 1980
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.
Memphis is also home to the busiest cargo airport in the country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
“De Colores” is a traditional Mexican folk song that made its way to the Americas from Spain during the 16th century, and here Price is accompanied by the Memphis Mariachi.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
When Starlink said it was cutting prices in the Memphis, Tennessee area amid local concerns over a massive data centre project, SpaceX shares fell on the day by 8%.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Their two-week road trip allows time to drive through New Orleans, Memphis and the Ozarks, as planned with the help of ChatGPT.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
It was the Mississippi, the same river that I had worked on down south of Memphis.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
