medina
n. countablen. the old, central part of a city in North Africa or the Middle East. It usually has narrow streets and high walls.
n. the historic quarter of a North African or Middle Eastern city, typically walled and characterised by a dense labyrinth of narrow streets.
We spent the afternoon walking through the medina.
The medina in Marrakesh is famous for its vibrant markets and traditional architecture.
Preservationists argue that the medina represents a unique urban fabric where residential and commercial spaces have coexisted for centuries within a defensive perimeter.
From Arabic اَلْمَدِينَة (al-madīna, “the city”). Doublet of Mdina.
Inherited from Middle English Medine, from Old English medume (“the middle one”).
Borrowed from Spanish Medina.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often capitalised when referring to a specific district, but remains lowercase as a general term for this urban form.
Last updated May 6, 2026