Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Gulf of Akaba

Gulf of Akaba

5.3
A long narrow bay of the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia
  • proper noun
translation icon : Golfo de Aqaba
  • The coral reefs in the Gulf of Akaba are renowned for their biodiversity.

Examples

  • Ships cross the Gulf of Akaba as they travel between Africa and Asia.

  • Many tourists visit the Gulf of Akaba to enjoy its warm waters and scenic coastline.

  • The Gulf of Akaba is known for its stunning coral reefs.

  • Can we go swimming in the Gulf of Akaba this weekend?

  • Many tourists visit the Gulf of Akaba to enjoy its warm waters and scenic coastline.

  • Ships cross the Gulf of Akaba as they travel between Africa and Asia.

  • The coral reefs in the Gulf of Akaba are renowned for their biodiversity.

Synonyms

Gulf of Aqaba
vsGulf of Akaba
1 3.9

A narrow part of the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia

is identical in meaning but written with an alternate spelling of the name

Surface Forms

Gulf of Akaba main

Morphology

gulf + of + Akaba

This is a toponymic, compositional name: knowing 'gulf' (a stretch of sea) and the place name 'Akaba' allows a learner to infer it is the gulf associated with Akaba. The 'Gulf of X' pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows regular noun + of + place composition, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily understand the meaning.

Etymology

Gulf of Akaba gets its name from the nearby town, and one popular story says Akaba means 'steep pass' in Arabic. Imagine a narrow sea between high, steep shores, and that image explains why the name fits this narrow part of the Red Sea between Sinai and Saudi Arabia.