Also Tripolitania one of the former Barbary States of N Africa: later a province of Turkey; now a part of Libya.
a seaport in and the capital of Libya, in the NW part.
a seaport in N Lebanon, on the Mediterranean.
(lowercase) any of several siliceous substances, as rottenstone and infusorial earth, used chiefly in polishing.
Arabic name: Tarabulus el Gharb. Ancient name: Oea. the capital and chief port of Libya, in the northwest on the Mediterranean: founded by Phoenicians in about the 7th century bc ; the only city that has survived of the three (Oea, Leptis Magna, and Sabratha) that formed the African Tripolis ("three cities"); fishing and manufacturing centre. Pop: 1 223 300 (2002 est)
Arabic name: Tarabulus esh Sham. Ancient name: Tripolis. a port in N Lebanon, on the Mediterranean: the second largest town in Lebanon; taken by the Crusaders in 1109 after a siege of five years; oil-refining and manufacturing centre. Pop: 212 000 (2005 est)
The city dates back to the seventh century b.c.
United States war planes attacked Tripoli in 1986 in retaliation for Libyan terrorist acts against American citizens.
C17: named after Tripoli , in Libya or in Lebanon
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So by 1803, Secretary of State James Madison was working diligently to secure peace between the U.S. and Tripoli as quickly as possible.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
The oil-rich country remains divided between a UN-recognised government based in its capital, Tripoli, and the eastern administration in Benghazi backed by the Haftars.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
This weekend, the USS Tripoli and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit entered the region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
On Saturday, the USS Tripoli, a naval warship, arrived in the Middle East carrying about 3,500 sailors and Marines and a transport of fighter planes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2026
On June 22, 1893, during maneuvers off Tripoli, this marvel of naval technology had been struck by the H.M.S.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
The addition of a little tripoli greatly facilitates the cleaning.
From Handwork in Wood by Noyes, William
Some workmen polish with rotten-stone, others with putty-powder, and others with common 86whiting and water; but tripoli, we think, will be found to answer best.
From French Polishing and Enamelling A Practical Work of Instruction by Bitmead, Richard
The best method of removing rust and tarnish is to polish the tools on a power buffing wheel on which has been rubbed some tripoli.
From Handwork in Wood by Noyes, William
When dry it must be rubbed with fine tripoli.
From Enquire Within Upon Everything The Great Victorian Domestic Standby by Anonymous
The active constituent of all metal polishes is generally chalk, rouge, or tripoli, because these produce a polish on metallic surfaces.
From Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition For Ironware, Tinware, Wood, Etc. With Sections on Tinplating and Galvanizing by Brown, William N.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
