Mekka
/ˈmɛkə/noun
A variant spelling of Mecca, the sacred city in western Saudi Arabia and the destination of the Islamic pilgrimage.
Did you know?The ancient form of the name is uncertain: some scholars connect it with the pre-Islamic name Makka, while others cautiously compare it with Ptolemy’s second-century Macoraba.
Etymological Timeline
2nd Century CE
Greek
Μακοράβα (Macoraba)
“A place-name recorded by Ptolemy, often identified with Mecca, though the identification and meaning remain debated.”
Pre-Islamic Arabia
Arabic
مَكّة (Makka)
“The indigenous Arabic name of the sanctuary city; its original meaning is uncertain.”
7th Century CE
Quranic Arabic
مَكّة (Makkah)
“The name used for the sacred city in the Qur’an.”
Medieval Latin and European languages
Latin/European
Mecca / Mekka
“Transliterated forms of the Arabic place-name used in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic geographical writing.”
Modern English
English
Mekka
“A variant spelling of Mecca, also used metaphorically for any place regarded as a central destination or hub.”