noun
Mecca
MEH-kuh
noun
1
A place regarded as a essential destination for people with a particular interest.
"Nashville is considered a mecca for country music fans."
"The city became a mecca for tech startups."
How to Use Mecca
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA place that people with a shared passion feel they must visit.
When to use it
When used in the lowercase, figurative sense ("a mecca for shoppers"), it is a common noun; capitalize it when referring to the actual city.
Common pairings
mecca for
shopping mecca
tourist mecca
Word Forms
Meccas plural
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Nashville is considered a _____ for country music fans.
Etymology
From Mecca, the holiest city in Islam in Saudi Arabia, which Muslims are required to visit on pilgrimage; the word later broadened to describe any must-visit destination for enthusiasts of any kind.