sudan
n. uncountablen. a large country in Northeast Africa. It is known for its history, the Nile River, and its diverse cultures.
n. a sovereign state in Northeast Africa, bordered by Egypt to the north and the Red Sea to the northeast. When used with a definite article in older texts, it referred to the broader geographic region south of the Sahara.
Khartoum is the capital city of Sudan.
The Blue Nile and White Nile meet in Sudan before flowing north toward the Mediterranean Sea.
Archaeological sites in Sudan contain more ancient pyramids than those found in Egypt, reflecting the historical power of the Kingdom of Kush during the first millennium BCE.
Derived from Arabic سُودَان (sūdān, “black people”), plural of أَسْوَد (ʔaswad).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
As a proper noun, it is typically used without an article in modern English, though historical texts may refer to 'the Sudan'.
I am traveling to the SudanI am traveling to SudanModern English usage omits the definite article 'the' when referring to the country.
- Nounsudan
- Adjectivesudanese
Last updated May 2, 2026