name
Common
Jordan
JAW-duhn
Jordan (name) means a country in the Middle East, and the river that flows through it into the Dead Sea. Example: “They traveled to Jordan to see the ancient city of Petra.”
name
1
A country in the Middle East, and the river that flows through it into the Dead Sea.
"They traveled to Jordan to see the ancient city of Petra."
2
A unisex given name from Hebrew, originally given to children baptized with water brought back from the River Jordan.
"Jordan started at their new school this week."
3
A surname derived from the given name.
"Michael Jordan is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players ever."
noun
1
Historically, a rounded glass flask with a narrow neck, once used by physicians and alchemists.
"The museum displayed a medieval jordan used for examining urine samples."
How to use Jordan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBoth a Middle Eastern country/river and a popular unisex first name.
Common pairings
the River Jordan
Jordan and the West Bank
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Word forms
- Plural
- Jordans
Fill the gap
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They traveled to _____ to see the ancient city of Petra.
Etymology
The country and river take their name, through Latin and Greek, from the Biblical Hebrew "yardén," meaning the River Jordan.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Jordan
See all rhymes for Jordan →Frequently asked questions
What does “Jordan” mean?
The word “Jordan” means a country in the Middle East, and the river that flows through it into the Dead Sea. In plain terms, both a Middle Eastern country/river and a popular unisex first name.
How do you pronounce “Jordan”?
“Jordan” is pronounced JAW-duhn (/ˈd͡ʒɔɹdən/ in IPA).
How do you use “Jordan” in a sentence?
Here is “Jordan” used in a sentence: “They traveled to Jordan to see the ancient city of Petra.”
What part of speech is “Jordan”?
Depending on how it is used, “Jordan” can be a name and a noun.
Where does the word “Jordan” come from?
The word “Jordan” comes from Latin. The country and river take their name, through Latin and Greek, from the Biblical Hebrew "yardén," meaning the River Jordan.
Is “Jordan” a common word?
“Jordan” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Jordan” have?
“Jordan” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a country in the Middle East, and the river that flows through it into the Dead Sea.
Where is Jordan located?
Jordan is a country in the Middle East, bordered by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Israel, and the West Bank. Its capital is Amman. It sits along the eastern side of the Jordan River and touches the northern tip of the Red Sea at Aqaba, giving it a small but valuable stretch of coastline.
What is the Jordan River known for?
The Jordan River flows south from the region near Mount Hermon through the Sea of Galilee and into the Dead Sea. It holds deep religious significance in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and is traditionally regarded as the place where Jesus was baptised. It also forms part of the border between Jordan and Israel.
Why does the Jordan River flow into the Dead Sea?
The Jordan River drains into the Dead Sea because the sea sits in the lowest land basin on Earth, with no outlet to any ocean. Water flows in but can only leave by evaporation, which concentrates the salts left behind. That is why the Dead Sea is so extremely salty and dense.
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