noun
Uncommon
Mecca
MEH-kuh
Mecca (noun) means a place regarded as a essential destination for people with a particular interest. Example: “Nashville is considered a mecca for country music fans.”
noun
1
A place regarded as a essential destination for people with a particular interest.
"Living in Venice, California and training at the Mecca of bodybuilding, Gold's Gym, I've seen some of the world's most dedicated and hard-training athletes."
— John Romano, Muscle Meals (1997)
"Nashville is considered a mecca for country music fans."
"The city became a mecca for tech startups."
"On the other side of the Atlantic, stores in Paris's chic Avenue Montaigne, a mecca for Japanese tourists, said that sales to foreigners had fallen sharply."
— The Economist Newspaper Ltd, The Economist (1991)
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
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Word forms
- Plural
- Meccas
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
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.
Rhymes for Mecca
See all rhymes for Mecca →Frequently asked questions
What does “Mecca” mean?
The word “Mecca” means a place regarded as a essential destination for people with a particular interest. In plain terms, a place that people with a shared passion feel they must visit.
How do you pronounce “Mecca”?
“Mecca” is pronounced MEH-kuh (/ˈmɛkə/ in IPA).
How do you use “Mecca” in a sentence?
Here is “Mecca” used in a sentence: “Nashville is considered a mecca for country music fans.”
What part of speech is “Mecca”?
“Mecca” is a noun.
Is “Mecca” a common word?
“Mecca” is an uncommon word in modern English.
