Istanbul

geographical name

Is·​tan·​bul ˌi-stən-ˈbül How to pronounce Istanbul (audio)
-ˌstan-,
-ˌstän-,
-ˈbu̇l,
ˈi-stən-ˌbül,
-ˌbu̇l,
 or with  m,
 for  n
variants or formerly Constantinople or ancient Byzantium
bə-ˈzan-tē-əm How to pronounce Istanbul (audio)
-ˈzan-sh(ē-)əm
city in northwestern Turkey partly in Europe and partly in Asia on the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara; capital of Turkey before its independence in 1923 and earlier capital of the Ottoman Empire population 12,500,000

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Cite this Entry

“Istanbul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Istanbul. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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