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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Discover More

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

While Persian Gulf crude exports are back within 10% of prewar levels, Brent remains above $100 a barrel, they note.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

“The market is grappling with the idea that we’re about to go through a large part of the Northern Hemisphere winter with little Persian Gulf LNG supply,” analysts at ING said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The Saudi leader has few good options, said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a Persian Gulf expert and fellow with Rice University’s Baker Institute.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

Prices gained as traders weighed intensifying Persian Gulf shipping risks and U.S.-Iran tensions alongside U.S. offshore production shut-ins ahead of Hurricane Isaias.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

My oldest son, he fought in the first Persian Gulf conflict.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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