Makkah
/ˈmakːa/noun
The Arabic name for the city in western Saudi Arabia that contains the Kaaba and is Islam’s holiest city.
Did you know?The name appears in the Quran both as Makkah and Bakkah, while its possible pre-Islamic origin remains uncertain; proposed Arabic explanations include ideas connected with gathering or draining away.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek, 2nd century CE
Greek
Μακοράβα (Macoraba)
“The form used by Ptolemy for a settlement generally identified with Makkah; its origin and exact meaning are uncertain.”
Late Antiquity
Arabic
مَكّة (Makka)
“The Arabic name of the city; its pre-Islamic etymology is not securely established.”
7th century CE
Quranic Arabic
مَكّة (Makkah)
“Makkah, named in the Quran as the sacred city.”
7th century CE
Quranic Arabic
بَكّة (Bakkah)
“Bakkah, a Quranic designation associated with the sacred sanctuary; its relationship to Makkah is debated.”
Middle English, 14th century
English
Mecca
“An English form borrowed through Arabic and other languages for the Islamic holy city.”
Modern English
English
Makkah
“The modern transliteration preferred in many official and scholarly contexts for Arabic مكة.”