Mecca

[mek-uh] /ˈmɛk ə/

noun
1.
Also, Makkah, Mekka. a city in and the capital of Hejaz, in W Saudi Arabia: birthplace of Muhammad; spiritual center of Islam.
2.
(often lowercase) any place that many people visit or hope to visit:
The president’s birthplace is a mecca for his admirers.
[hee-jaz; Arabic hee-zhahz] /hiˈdʒæz; Arabic hiˈʒɑz/
noun
1.
a region in Saudi Arabia bordering on the Red Sea, formerly an independent kingdom: contains the Islamic holy cities of Medina and Mecca. About 150,000 sq. mi. (388,500 sq. km).
Capital: Mecca.
/ˈmɛkə/
noun
1.
a city in W Saudi Arabia, joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia: birthplace of Mohammed; the holiest city of Islam, containing the Kaaba. Pop: 1 529 000 (2005 est) Arabic name Makkah
2.
(sometimes not capital) a place that attracts many visitors: Athens is a Mecca for tourists
/hiːˈdʒæz/
noun
1.
a variant spelling of Hejaz

Arabic Makkah, sacred city of Islam, birthplace of Muhammad, which every Muslim must visit at least once. Origins have been proposed in Phoenician maqaq “ruined” or Arabic mahrab “sanctuary.” Figurative sense of “any place one holds supremely sacred” (usually with lower-case m-) is in English from 1850. Related: Meccan.

The birthplace of Muhammad, and thus the holiest city for Muslims. Muslims face in the direction of Mecca when they pray, and they are expected to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives. Mecca is in present-day Saudi Arabia.

Note: Figuratively, a “mecca” is any place that attracts a great many people, especially for a particular reason: “Vail is a mecca for skiers.”

City in western Saudi Arabia.

Note: As the place where Mohammed the prophet was born in the sixth century, it is the holiest city of Islam and the destination of numerous Muslim pilgrims.

Note: A “mecca” is a place that attracts people: “Hollywood is a mecca for would-be actors and actresses.”