Sumer

American  

[soo-mer] / ˈsu mər /

noun

1. an ancient region in southern Mesopotamia that contained a number of independent cities and city-states of which the first were established possibly as early as 5000 b.c.: conquered by the Elamites and, about 2000 b.c., by the Babylonians; a number of its cities, as Ur, Uruk, Kish, and Lagash, are major archaeological sites in southern Iraq.

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Sumer British  

/ ˈsuːmə /

noun

1. the S region of Babylonia; seat of a civilization of city-states that reached its height in the 3rd millennium _bc

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Example Sentences

Although written mathematical records appear much later in Sumer, the Halafian pottery points to an earlier and more intuitive form of mathematical reasoning.

From Science Daily • Dec. 16, 2025

The researchers present a new paleoenvironmental model showing that tidal rhythms influenced the earliest stages of agriculture and social organization in Sumer.

From Science Daily • Oct. 27, 2025

During a visit, the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, said, “Chile can do greater things,” which made locals hopeful one day the Sumer Olympics could come to their city.

From Washington Times • Nov. 5, 2023

The most famous lugal in all Sumer in this early period was Gilgamesh of Uruk, whose legendary exploits were recounted later in fantastical form in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

In Mesopotamia, the wheel dates back to at least the time of Sumer.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann