Alexandria

/æləkˈzændɹi.ə/ name

name ·Moderate ·College level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: A city, port, and former capital of Egypt famed for its ancient library and lighthouse.
  • Grammar: alexandria is listed as name.
  • Nearest alternatives: alex, alexandra, city, city name.
  • Useful contrasts: countryside, masculine name, rural area.
  • Usage evidence: Did you go to Cairo or Alexandria?

How to use "alexandria"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "alexandria" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "alexandria" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "alexandria" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "alexandria" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "alexandria" is acting as name in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "alex" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "alexandria", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A city, port, and former capital of Egypt famed for its ancient library and lighthouse.
  2. 2
    Various other former cities in Southwestern Asia founded by Alexander the Great, including; Former name of Iskandariya: a city in central Iraq. historical
  3. 3
    Various other former cities in Southwestern Asia founded by Alexander the Great, including; Former name of Iskenderun: a city in southeastern Turkey. historical
  4. 4
    Various other former cities in Southwestern Asia founded by Alexander the Great, including; Former name of Kandahar: a city in southern Afghanistan. historical
  5. 5
    Various other former cities in Southwestern Asia founded by Alexander the Great, including; Former name of Bagram: a city in eastern Afghanistan. historical
Show 30 more definitions
  1. 6
    Various other former cities in Southwestern Asia founded by Alexander the Great, including; Former name of Ghazni: a city in eastern Afghanistan. historical
  2. 7
    Various other former cities in Southwestern Asia founded by Alexander the Great, including; Former name of Mary: a city in Turkmenistan. historical
  3. 8
    Various other former cities in Southwestern Asia founded by Alexander the Great, including; Former name of Khujand: a city in Tajikistan. historical
  4. 9
    Alternative form of Alessandria: a city in Piedmont, Italy. alt-of, alternative
  5. 10
    A governorate of Egypt around the city.
  6. 11
    A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Calhoun County, Alabama.
  7. 12
    A number of places in the United States:; A city in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.
  8. 13
    A number of places in the United States:; A city in Kentucky, and one of the two county seats of Campbell County.
  9. 14
    A number of places in the United States:; A city, the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana.
  10. 15
    A number of places in the United States:; A city, the county seat of Douglas County, Minnesota.
  11. 16
    A number of places in the United States:; A township in Douglas County, Minnesota.
  12. 17
    A number of places in the United States:; A city in Clark County, Missouri.
  13. 18
    A number of places in the United States:; A village in Thayer County, Nebraska.
  14. 19
    A number of places in the United States:; A town in Grafton County, New Hampshire.
  15. 20
    A number of places in the United States:; A township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
  16. 21
    A number of places in the United States:; A town in Jefferson County, New York.
  17. 22
    A number of places in the United States:; A village in Licking County, Ohio.
  18. 23
    A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Scioto County, Ohio.
  19. 24
    A number of places in the United States:; A borough of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
  20. 25
    A number of places in the United States:; A minor city, the county seat of Hanson County, South Dakota.
  21. 26
    A number of places in the United States:; A town in DeKalb County, Tennessee.
  22. 27
    A number of places in the United States:; An independent city in Virginia, next to Arlington County, Fairfax County and Washington, D.C.

    "The U.S. attorney’s office, based in Alexandria, just outside Washington, is among the most important in the country, handling sensitive national security and terrorism cases."

  23. 28
    A former town in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario, Canada; now a part of the township of North Glengarry.
  24. 29
    A suburb of Sydney in the Sydney council area, New South Wales, Australia.
  25. 30
    A ghost town in British Columbia, Canada.
  26. 31
    The capital and largest city of Teleorman County, Romania.
  27. 32
    A town in Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
  28. 33
    A town in Ehlanzeni District Municipality, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
  29. 34
    A town in West Dunbartonshire council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NS3980).
  30. 35
    A female given name from Ancient Greek.

Antonyms

countrysidemasculine namerural areaunknown location

Example

"Did you go to Cairo or Alexandria?"

Common questions

What does "alexandria" mean?

A city, port, and former capital of Egypt famed for its ancient library and lighthouse.

What is a synonym for "alexandria"?

Common synonyms include: alex, alexandra, city, city name, lexi, metropolis.

How do you use "alexandria" in a sentence?

Did you go to Cairo or Alexandria?

How do you pronounce "alexandria"?

Pronounced /æləkˈzændɹi.ə/.

Etymology

From Middle English Alexandria, from Old English Alexandria, from Latin Alexandrīa, from Ancient Greek Ἀλεξάνδρεια (Alexándreia), from Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros, “Alexander”) + -εια (-eia, “-ia: forming place names”), initially chiefly places founded by Alexander the Great of Macedonia and subsequently usually with reference to Alexandria in Egypt, a major Hellenistic cultural center, center of early Christianity, and continuing major international port. Compare Antioch, Seleucia, and Ptolemais. Doublet of Kandahar, Iskenderun, Scandaroon, and Alexandretta.

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