Hejaz
/hɪˈdʒɑːz/noun
A historical region of western Arabia along the Red Sea, including Mecca and Medina.
Did you know?The name refers to the mountain belt that separates the coastal Tihāmah from the inland plateau of Najd, making the Hejaz literally a dividing land.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ḥ-g-z
“A root associated with separating, blocking, or intervening”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥijāz
“Barrier, separation, or dividing region”
Early Islamic period
Arabic
al-Ḥijāz
“The western Arabian region forming a natural divide between the coastal plain and inland plateau”
Medieval English usage
English
Hedjaz
“A transliteration used for the Arabian region containing Mecca and Medina”
Modern English
English
Hejaz
“The established English name for the historical region of western Arabia”