Main Entry: Is·tan·bul

Pronunciation: \ˌis-tən-ˈbül, -ˌtan-, -ˌtän-, -ˈbu̇l, ˈis-tən-ˌ, or with m for n\

Variant(s): or formerly Con·stan·ti·no·ple \ˌkän-ˌstan-tə-ˈnō-pəl\ or ancient By·zan·ti·um \bə-ˈzan-tē-əm, -ˈzan-sh(ē-)əm\

Function: geographical name

city NW Turkey on the Bosporus & Sea of Marmara; ∗ of preindependence Turkey & earlier ∗ of Ottoman Empire population 6,620,241