ENGLISH
REFERENCE

iran

n. uncountable
A2 Elementary US //ˌaɪˈɹæn// iran Literary

n. a large country in Western Asia. It was known as Persia for a long time and has a very old history and culture.

n. a sovereign state in Western Asia, historically known as Persia. It is a proper noun and is always capitalised.


SIMPLE

Tehran is the capital city of Iran.

CONTEXTUAL

Many travelers visit Iran to see the ancient ruins of Persepolis and experience the famous local hospitality.

COMPLEX

The geopolitical significance of Iran is shaped by its vast energy reserves and its strategic position between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf.

Synonyms
Origin

From Iranian Persian ایران (irân), from Classical Persian ایران (ērān), from Middle Persian 𐭠𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭 (ʾērān, “of the Aryans”). See 𐭠𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭 (ʾērān) for word formation, further etymology and cognates. The name of the political entity is a 3rd-century development that derives from the indigenous ethnolinguistic name of the Iranian peoples, i.e. the great variety of Iranian tribes that spoke an Iranian language.

Usage

As a proper noun, it is always capitalised and typically used without a definite article.

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