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noun Common

Dubai

doo-BEYE

Dubai (noun) means a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates, known for its skyscrapers and luxury developments. Example: “They flew to Dubai for a long weekend of shopping and sunshine.”

noun
1
A city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates, known for its skyscrapers and luxury developments.
"They flew to Dubai for a long weekend of shopping and sunshine."

How to use Dubai

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA major city in the UAE, famous for extravagant architecture and tourism.

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They flew to _____ for a long weekend of shopping and sunshine.

Etymology

Borrowed into English from the Arabic name Dubayy.

Origin: Arabic

Rhymes for Dubai

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Frequently asked questions

What does “Dubai” mean?

The word “Dubai” means a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates, known for its skyscrapers and luxury developments. In plain terms, a major city in the UAE, famous for extravagant architecture and tourism.

How do you pronounce “Dubai”?

“Dubai” is pronounced doo-BEYE (/duːˈbaɪ/ in IPA).

How do you use “Dubai” in a sentence?

Here is “Dubai” used in a sentence: “They flew to Dubai for a long weekend of shopping and sunshine.”

What part of speech is “Dubai”?

“Dubai” is a noun.

Where does the word “Dubai” come from?

The word “Dubai” comes from Arabic. Borrowed into English from the Arabic name Dubayy.

Is “Dubai” a common word?

“Dubai” is a fairly common word in modern English.

Is Dubai a country or a city?

Dubai is not a country. It is a city and one of the seven emirates that together make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is the country. People often say 'Dubai' when they mean either the city itself or the wider emirate it belongs to.

What is the difference between Dubai and the United Arab Emirates?

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country formed of seven emirates, and Dubai is one of those emirates as well as its major city. So Dubai is part of the UAE in the same way a state or province is part of a larger nation.

Is Dubai the capital of the United Arab Emirates?

No. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is the country's most populous city and is best known internationally for its skyscrapers and luxury developments.

Do you say 'in Dubai' or 'at Dubai'?

Use 'in Dubai' when talking about being located there, as in 'she works in Dubai', because cities take the preposition 'in'. Use 'to Dubai' for movement, as in 'we flew to Dubai'.

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