Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • 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? BC) and declined after the seventh century BC, 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. From 1958 to 1961 it was joined to Syria as the United Arab Republic. Cairo is the capital and the largest city.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun a country at the northeastern corner of Africa. At one time it was joined with Syria to form the United Arab Republic.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun A country in North Africa. Official name: Arab Republic of Egypt.
  • proper noun historical A civilization based around the river Nile, on its lower reaches nearer the Mediterranean.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun 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
  • noun a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BC

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle French Egypte, from Latin Ægyptus, from Ancient Greek Αἴγυπτος (Aígyptos), from Mycenaean Greek *aikupitos (nb. 𐁁𐀓𐀠𐀴𐀍 (aikupitijo) 'Egyptian'), from Late Egyptian Hikuptah 'Memphis', from Middle Egyptian ḥȝ.t kȝ ptḥ (Ḥaʔat-Kuʔ-Patāḥa), literally, 'The Temple of the Soul of Ptah', initially referring to Ptah's temple in the city of Memphis, a capital during the Middle Kingdom.

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Examples

  • New Google service lets you call to tweet from #egypt: we hope @speak2tweet helps people hear from the voices of Egypt

    Linda Bergthold: The DeNile Revolution as Tweeted Linda Bergthold 2011

  • When I lived in Egypt 27 yrs ago, #Egypt was wealthier than China. 1 reason for today's revolution: Egypt has barely moved.

    Linda Bergthold: The DeNile Revolution as Tweeted Linda Bergthold 2011

  • AHMED NAZIF, PRIME MINISTER OF EGYPT: And as we led the region into peace, I think Egypt will be capable of leading the region into more democracy.

    CNN Transcript Nov 20, 2005 2005

  • ALY EL DEEN HILAL, EGYPT MINISTER OF YOUTH: In Egypt, we have the commitment and the will to make the dream a reality in 2010.

    CNN Transcript May 8, 2004 2004

  • EGYPT consisted of two parts: Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt.

    3. Egypt, c. 3500-332 B.C.E 2001

  • RULERS OF EGYPT (1811-1953) Egypt remained nominally a province of the Ottoman Empire until Britain declared it a protectorate in 1914, but from 1805 it followed an increasingly independent course of development as a separate country.

    e. Egypt 2001

  • AMRE MOUSSA, FOREIGN MINISTER OF EGYPT: ... orders following the serious developments and decision, we welcome the Secretary of State as we welcome the role of the United States as the main sponsor of the peace process and as a friend of Egypt.

    CNN Transcript - Special Event: Powell Discusses Reviving Mideast Peace Process - February 24, 2001 2001

  • MENES, KING OF EGYPT, ABOUT 3400 B.C. The history of Egypt commences with the union of the two kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt under Menes.

    Early European History Hutton Webster

  • Mr. SIDNEY LOW has paid some visits to Egypt and the Sudan, has kept his eyes very wide open and has written _Egypt in Transition_ (SMITH, ELDER) in consequence.

    Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 146, March 11, 1914 Various 1898

  • Amarna tablets (see [33] EGYPT) are found letters or official despatches from Yadaya, "captain of horse and dust of the king's feet," to the "great king" of Egypt, dated from Ascalon.

    Easton's Bible Dictionary M.G. Easton 1897

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