Middle East

American  

[mid-l eest] / ˈmɪd l ˈist /

noun

1. Also called Mideast. (loosely) the area from Libya east to Afghanistan, usually including Egypt, Sudan, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the other countries of Arabia.

2. (formerly) the area including Iran, Afghanistan, India, Tibet, and Myanmar (Burma).

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Middle East British  

noun

1. (loosely) the area around the E Mediterranean, esp Israel and the Arab countries from Turkey to North Africa and eastwards to Iran

2. (formerly) the area extending from the Tigris and Euphrates to Myanmar

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Middle East Cultural  

1. Region in western Asia and northeast Africa that includes the nations on the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt (see also Egypt), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey.

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Discover More

As the site of such ancient civilizations as Phoenicia, Babylon (see also Babylon), and Egypt, and the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the Middle East is known as the cradle of Western civilization. The Greek Empire, Roman Empire, Persian Empire, and Ottoman Empire are among the great civilizations that developed and prospered in the Middle East.

A hotbed of religious and political strife (see Arab-Israeli conflict and Persian Gulf War), the Middle East attracted the attention of such powerful nations as Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union eager to protect their strategic interests at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and their access to precious oil reserves.

Other Word Forms

• Middle Easterner
  noun
• Middle Eastern
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of Middle East

First recorded in 1875–80

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Compare meaning

How does middle-east compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Near East vs. Middle East

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Middle East

He cited high insurance costs for the shipment of oil through the Middle East and high diesel prices as likely to be persistent sources of inflation.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026

At the same time, the conflict in the Middle East and port congestion weighed on volume growth and transport costs, the German shipping company added.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026

Oil prices inched down as investors kept tabs on the Middle East crisis, with hopes still high that the US and Iran can reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2026

It said the increase reflected higher wholesale gas and liquefied petroleum gas costs amid disruption to exports and shipping routes in the Middle East after the conflict with Iran.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026

I was excited for this opportunity because this firm did a lot of international business in the Middle East and Europe.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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