Merida

[mer-i-duh] /ˈmɛr ɪ də/

noun
1.
(def 2).
[me-ree-th ah] /ˈmɛ riˌðɑ/
noun
1.
a city in and the capital of Yucatán, in SE Mexico.
2.
a city in W Venezuela.
[yoo-kuh-tan; Spanish yoo-kah-tahn] /ˌyu kəˈtæn; Spanish ˌyu kɑˈtɑn/
noun
1.
a peninsula in SE Mexico and N Central America comprising parts of SE Mexico, N Guatemala, and Belize.
2.
a state in SE Mexico, in N Yucatán Peninsula. 14,868 sq. mi. (38,510 sq. km).
Capital: Mérida.
/ˌjuːkəˈtɑːn; Spanish jukaˈtan/
noun
1.
a state of SE Mexico, occupying the N part of the Yucatán peninsula. Capital: Mérida. Pop: 1 655 707 (2000). Area: 39 340 sq km (15 186 sq miles)
2.
a peninsula of Central America between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, including the Mexican states of Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo, and part of Belize: a centre of Mayan civilization from about 100 bc to the 18th century. Area: about 181 300 sq km (70 000 sq miles)
/Spanish ˈmeriða/
noun
1.
a city in SE Mexico, capital of Yucatán state: founded in 1542 on the site of the ancient Mayan city of T’ho; centre of the henequen industry; university. Pop: 919 000 (2005 est)
2.
a city in W Venezuela: founded in 1558 by Spanish conquistadores; University of Los Andes (1785). Pop: 319 000 (2005 est)
3.
a market town in W Spain, in Extremadura, on the Guadiana River: founded in 25 bc; became the capital of Lusitania and one of the chief cities of Iberia. Pop: 52 110 (2003 est) Latin name Augusta Emerita

said to be from a local word meaning “massacre.”
Yucatán [(yooh-kuh-tan, yooh-kuh-tahn)]

Peninsula mostly in southeastern Mexico, separating the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico.

Note: It is the location of many Mayan ruins.