Persian Gulf

American  

noun

1. an arm of the Arabian Sea, between SW Iran and Arabia. 600 miles (965 km) long.

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Persian Gulf British  

noun

1. a shallow arm of the Arabian Sea between SW Iran and Arabia: linked with the Arabian Sea by the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman; important for the oilfields on its shores. Area: 233 000 sq km (90 000 sq miles)

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Persian Gulf Cultural  

1. Arm of the Indian Ocean between Arabia and Iran.

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The Persian Gulf oil fields are among the most productive in the world.

The Persian Gulf region was dominated by Britain for most of the twentieth century. After Britain's withdrawal in the late 1960s, the United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence in the region. (See Persian Gulf War.)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Persian Gulf

Over the weekend, an uneasy ceasefire established itself across the Persian Gulf, suggesting Signum’s theories had been borne out and validated by events.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

The global economy suddenly finds its energy supplies threatened on three fronts simultaneously: the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Black Sea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

The largest U.S. refineries were built long ago to best run heavy and sour crude: the thick, higher-sulfur oil from Canada, Venezuela, Mexico and the Persian Gulf.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

It could also widen attacks on infrastructure in Persian Gulf countries — moves that would trigger an even bigger ripple effect across global markets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

When Red Team’s surprise attack was over, sixteen American ships lay at the bottom of the Persian Gulf.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell