Alexandria

IPA/ˌalɪɡzˈandɹiə/
KK[ˌæləɡzˈændriə]IPA/ˌæləɡzˈændriːə/

Alexandria — noun

1. the second-largest city in Egypt, founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE and

1.noun
Definition

the second-largest city in Egypt, founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE and remembered for its role as a centre of ancient learning, home to the famous library and lighthouse that drew scholars from across the Greek and Roman worlds.

Example

Jamal flew from Cairo to Alexandria to spend the weekend by the sea.

place name as travel destination

The ancient library of Alexandria once held thousands of scrolls from across the Greek world.

of-phrase tying landmark to the city

Common collocations
  • the port of Alexandria
  • the library of Alexandria
  • ancient Alexandria
  • in Alexandria

Grammar Patterns

used as a place name

Usage Note

Always capitalised as a proper noun. Without further context, English readers usually take 'Alexandria' to mean the Egyptian city; for cities of the same name in the United States or elsewhere, speakers add a state or country (Alexandria, Virginia).

Common Mistakes

I visited alexandria last summer.
I visited Alexandria last summer.
proper nouns must be capitalised.
She studies at the Alexandria.
She studies in Alexandria.
city names take no article.

Alexandria — geographical name

Etymology

GreekLatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Named after Alexander the Great of Macedon, who founded the city in 331 BCE on the Egyptian coast as the new capital of his empire's western lands. The Greek form Alexandreia passed into Latin as Alexandria and reached English through medieval scholarly writing about the ancient world. The personal name Alexander itself comes from Greek alexein 'to defend' plus aner 'man', so the city's name carries the sense 'place of the man who defends people'.