syria
n. uncountablen. a country in Western Asia located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is known for its very long history and ancient cities like Damascus.
n. a sovereign state in Western Asia, bordered by Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel. Historically significant as a center of early civilizations and Islamic culture.
Damascus is the capital city of Syria.
Many historians study Syria because it contains some of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
The cultural heritage of Syria includes a diverse array of archaeological sites that reflect the influence of various empires throughout the millennia.
From Middle English Sirie, from Latin Sȳria, from Ancient Greek Σῠρῐ́ᾱ (Sŭrĭ́ā), apheretic form of Ἀσσυρία (Assuría, “Assyria”), from Akkadian 𒀾𒋗𒊏𒅀 (Aššūrāyu), from 𒀸𒋩 (Aššur, “Assur”). The land corresponding to modern Syria was originally called Aram by its ancient inhabitants, the Arameans. After the Assyrian conquest of Aram, the Greeks applied the name Syria to this territory. Over time, Syria came to denote the broader Levant, while Assyria referred to Mesopotamia. Herodotus (5th century BCE) was among the earliest Greek authors to consistently distinguish Syria and Assyria. After his time, some classical writers occasionally blurred the distinction. Nevertheless, educated writers and administrative usage gradually preserved the distinction, with Syria referring to the Levant and Assyria to Mesopotamia.
As a proper noun, it is typically used without an article.