Suez

American  

[soo-ez, soo-ez] / suˈɛz, ˈsu ɛz /

noun

1. a seaport in NE Egypt, near the S end of the Suez Canal.

2. Gulf of, a NW arm of the Red Sea, W of the Sinai Peninsula.

3. Isthmus of, an isthmus in NE Egypt, joining Africa and Asia. 72 miles (116 km) wide.

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Suez British  

/ ˈsuːɪz /

noun

1. a port in NE Egypt, at the head of the Gulf of Suez at the S end of the Suez Canal: an ancient trading site and a major naval station under the Ottoman Empire; port of departure for pilgrims to Mecca; oil-refining centre. It suffered severely in the Arab-Israeli conflicts of 1967 and 1973. Pop: 513 000 (2005 est)

2. a strip of land in NE Egypt, between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea: links Africa and Asia and is crossed by the Suez Canal

3. the NW arm of the Red Sea: linked with the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal

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Example Sentences

Egypt’s Suez Canal provides a maritime route from Asia to Europe, dealing with large volumes of energy supplies and containerships.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

In 2021, a 1,300-foot containership called the Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal for six days, triggering massive disruption in global supply chains.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

The Saudi port of Jeddah on the Red Sea is becoming a new regional "hub", where ships from maritime giants MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk and Cosco arrive via the Suez Canal.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

That particular trip had been a diplomatic mission to rebuild the US and UK partnership after the Suez Crisis of 1956, which had put the two countries in dispute over a Middle East war.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Mum and I went back together on a boat, through the Suez Canal, calling at Aden and Barcelona.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall