ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lebanon

n. uncountable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɫɛbənən// lebanon

n. a country in the Middle East located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is known for its long history, diverse culture, and beautiful mountains.

n. a sovereign state in Western Asia, bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south. It is a parliamentary republic characterized by a unique confessionalist system of government.


SIMPLE

Beirut is the capital city of Lebanon.

CONTEXTUAL

Many people visit Lebanon to see the ancient Roman ruins in Baalbek and the famous cedar forests.

COMPLEX

The historical significance of Lebanon as a crossroads between the Mediterranean world and the Arab interior has fostered a distinctively cosmopolitan and multilingual society.

Origin

The country's name comes from the name of the mountain range, which in turn comes from Biblical Hebrew לְבָנוֹן (ləḇānôn), from Proto-West Semitic *laban- (“white”) (compare Hebrew לָבָן (lāḇān, “white”), Arabic لَبَن (laban, “milk”)).

Usage

Proper noun; typically used without a definite article.

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