E·gypt (  j pt) Formerly (1958-1961) United Arab Republic A country of northeast Africa and the Sinai Peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea. In ancient times it was a flourishing kingdom and one of the earliest known civilizations, known for its development of hieroglyphic writing and its achievements in agriculture, art, and architecture. It reached its height during the XVIII dynasty (1570-1342? b.c.) and declined after the seventh century b.c., falling to various conquerors including the Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Turks, French, and British. Although nominally independent after 1922, it remained a British protectorate until 1936. A military coup in 1952 overthrew King Farouk I's constitutional monarchy, and a republic was established the following year. Cairo is the capital and the largest city. Population: 80,300,000. |   |
Egypt [ˈiːdʒɪpt]
n
(Placename) a republic in NE Africa, on the Mediterranean and Red Sea: its history dates back about 5000 years. Occupied by the British from 1882, it became an independent kingdom in 1922 and a republic in 1953. Over 96 per cent of the total area is desert, with the chief areas of habitation and cultivation in the Nile delta and valley. Cotton is the main export. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: Muslim; Sunni majority. Currency: pound. Capital: Cairo. Pop.: 65 239 000 (2001 est). Area: 997 739 sq. km (385 229 sq. miles) Official name Arab Republic of Egypt Former official name (1958-71) United Arab Republic
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  Egypt - a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BCAl Alamayn, Battle of El Alamein, El Alamein - a pitched battle in World War II (1942) resulting in a decisive Allied victory by British troops under Montgomery over German troops under Rommel Aswan High Dam, High Dam - one of the world's largest dams on the Nile River in southern Egypt al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya, Islamic Group - a terrorist organization of militant Islamists organized into tiny cells of extreme fundamentalists; emerged during the 1970s mainly in Egyptian jails; "al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya uses force to push Egyptian society toward Islamic rule" al-Jihad, Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Vanguards of Conquest, Islamic Jihad - an Islamic extremist group active since the late 1970s; seeks to overthrow the Egyptian government and replace it with an Islamic state; works in small underground cells; "the original Jihad was responsible for the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981" Arab League - an international organization of independent Arab states formed in 1945 to promote cultural and economic and military and political and social cooperation OPEC, Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries - an organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the production and sale of petroleum Middle East, Mideast, Near East - the area around the eastern Mediterranean; from Turkey to northern Africa and eastward to Iran; the site of such ancient civilizations as Phoenicia and Babylon and Egypt and the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity and Islam; had continuous economic and political turmoil in the 20th century; "the Middle East is the cradle of Western civilization" Sinai Peninsula, Sinai - a peninsula in northeastern Egypt; at north end of Red Sea Lower Egypt - one of the two main administrative districts of Egypt; consists of the Nile delta Upper Egypt - one of the two main administrative districts of Egypt; extends south from Cairo to Sudan El Iskandriyah, Alexandria - the chief port of Egypt; located on the western edge of the Nile delta on the Mediterranean Sea; founded by Alexander the Great; the capital of ancient Egypt Assouan, Assuan, Aswan - an ancient city on the Nile in Egypt; two dams across the Nile have been built nearby Al Qahira, capital of Egypt, Egyptian capital, El Qahira, Cairo - the capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa; a major port just to the south of the Nile delta; formerly the home of the Pharaohs El Alamein - a village to the west of Alexandria on the northern coast of Egypt; the scene of a decisive Allied victory over the Germans in 1942 El Giza, Giza, Gizeh - an ancient Egyptian city on the west bank of the Nile opposite Cairo; site of three Great Pyramids and the Sphinx Memphis - an ancient city of Egypt on the Nile (south of Cairo) El-Aksur, Luxor - a city in central Egypt on the east bank of the Nile that is a center for visitors to the ruins of and around Thebes Thebes - an ancient Egyptian city on the Nile River that flourished from the 22nd century BC to the 18th century BC; today the archeological remains include many splendid temples and tombs Suez - a city in northeastern Egypt at the head of the Gulf of Suez and at the southern end of the Suez Canal Suez Canal - a ship canal in northeastern Egypt linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea Arabian Desert, Eastern Desert - a desert in Egypt between the Nile River and the Red Sea Libyan Desert - the northeastern part of the Sahara Desert in Libya and Egypt and Sudan Africa - the second largest continent; located to the south of Europe and bordered to the west by the South Atlantic and to the east by the Indian Ocean Lake Nasser, Nasser - lake in Egypt formed by dams built on the Nile River at Aswan Nile, Nile River - the world's longest river (4150 miles); flows northward through eastern Africa into the Mediterranean; the Nile River valley in Egypt was the site of the world's first great civilization Egyptian - a native or inhabitant of Egypt |
| 2. |  Egypt - an ancient empire to the west of Israel; centered on the Nile River and ruled by a Pharaoh; figured in many events described in the Old Testament |
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