Mesopotamia
[ mes-uh-puh-tey-mee-uh ]
/ ˌmɛs ə pəˈteɪ mi ə /
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noun
an ancient region in W Asia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers: now part of Iraq.
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OTHER WORDS FROM Mesopotamia
Mes·o·po·ta·mi·an, adjective, nounWords nearby Mesopotamia
mesophryon, mesophyll, mesophyte, mesoplankton, mesoporphyrin, Mesopotamia, Mesopotamian, mesorchium, mesorectum, mesorrhaphy, mesorrhine
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British Dictionary definitions for Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
/ (ˌmɛsəpəˈteɪmɪə) /
noun
a region of SW Asia between the lower and middle reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers: site of several ancient civilizations
Word Origin for Mesopotamia
Latin from Greek mesopotamia (khora) (the land) between rivers
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Cultural definitions for Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
[ (mes-uh-puh-tay-mee-uh) ]
A region of western Asia, in what is now Iraq, known as the “cradle of civilization.” Western writing first developed there, done with sticks on clay tablets. Agricultural organization on a large scale also began in Mesopotamia, along with work in bronze and iron (see Bronze Age and Iron Age). Governmental systems in the region were especially advanced (see Babylon (see also Babylon) and Hammurabi). A number of peoples lived in Mesopotamia, including the Sumerians, Akkadians, Hittites, and Assyrians.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.