Maghreb
/ˈmɑːɡrɛb/noun
The western part of North Africa, especially Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
Did you know?Its name comes from the Arabic root ḡ-r-b, the same root behind words for sunset, west, and the place where the sun goes to die each day.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Islamic Arabic
Arabic
مغرب (maġrib)
“the west; the place of sunset”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
مَغْرِب (maġrib)
“west, sunset, the western direction”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
المغرب (al-Maġrib)
“the West; especially North-West Africa”
Modern English
English
Maghreb
“the western region of North Africa”