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

Goldman Sachs analysts warned that oil could still shoot back up to $120 a barrel if the Persian Gulf supply disruptions persist.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

The world’s energy supplies are threatened on three fronts simultaneously: the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Black Sea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 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

But at twilight or during the night, other things are visible: oil-well fires in Libya and the Persian Gulf; deepwater illumination by the Japanese squid fishing fleet; the bright lights of large cities.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan