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Glite Dictionary
Assuan

Assuan

8.9
A city in southern Egypt on the Nile with ancient temples near large dams
  • proper noun
  • /əˈsuːən/
  • Archaic
translation icon : Asuán
  • The ancient city of Assuan is famous for its historical temples and monuments along the Nile.

Examples

  • Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor, Assuan, and the pyramids all appeared in their proper place along the green borders of the river.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Tourists flock to Assuan to admire the breathtaking views of the Aswan High Dam.

  • Located in southern Egypt, Assuan has been a significant cultural site since ancient times.

Synonyms

Aswan
vsAssuan
3 5.5

A city on the Nile in southern Egypt that has temples and a large dam nearby

is used to stress location near both dams instead of the single high dam
Assouan
vsAssuan
  • Archaic
8.9

An ancient city on the Nile in southern Egypt with two large dams and old temples

is the common modern spelling and focuses on the site near the dams

Surface Forms

Assuan main

Etymology

Assuan comes from the Arabic Aswān, and before that from older names like the ancient Egyptian Swenett and the Greek Syene, all used for a busy town and river crossing on the Nile. That's why Assuan is still known as an ancient Nile city and an important place for controlling the river and its trade.