Istanbul
geographical name
Is·tan·bul
ˌi-stən-ˈbül 
-ˌstan-,
-ˌstän-,
-ˈbu̇l,
ˈi-stən-ˌbül,
-ˌbu̇l,
or with m,
for n
variants
or formerly Constantinople
or ancient Byzantium
bə-ˈzan-tē-əm
-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
Cite this Entry
“Istanbul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Istanbul. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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