Istanbul
geographical name
Is·tan·bul
| \ ˌi-stən-ˈbül
, -ˌstan-, -ˌstän-, -ˈbu̇l, ˈi-stən-ˌbül, -ˌbu̇l, or with m for n\
, -ˌstan-, -ˌstän-, -ˈbu̇l, ˈi-stən-ˌbül, -ˌbu̇l, or with m for n\
variants:
or formerly Constantinople \ ˌkän-ˌstan-tə-ˈnō-pəl
\
or ancient Byzantium \ bə-ˈzan-tē-əm
, -ˈzan-sh(ē-)əm \
\
or ancient Byzantium \ bə-ˈzan-tē-əm
, -ˈzan-sh(ē-)əm \
Definition of Istanbul
city in northwestern Turkey partly in Europe and partly in Asia on the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara; capital of Turkey before its independence in 1923 and earlier capital of the Ottoman Empire population 12,500,000