mecca

noun

mec·​ca ˈme-kə 

variants often Mecca

: a place regarded as a center for a specified group, activity, or interest

a mecca for shoppers

Did you know?

The Figurative Use of Mecca

Mecca is one of a number of place names which have taken on figurative meanings over time. This city in Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Muhammad and the site which Muslims must attempt to visit on a pilgrimage; from its role as a religious destination Mecca began to be used in the early 19th century (sometimes capitalized, and sometimes not) in a non-religious sense. Other locations (some of which are fictional) that have taken on this kind of extended meaning are Eden, Camelot, and Wall Street.

Synonyms of mecca

• center
• hub
• capital
• heart
• focus

Examples of mecca in a Sentence

The valley is a mecca for wine lovers.

The town has become a mecca for tourists.

Recent Examples on the Web

This was true throughout the neighborhood, which established itself this month as a secondary mecca for Knicks fans. —Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 14 June 2026

Connecticut has been a mecca for dance ever since Martha Graham created the American Dance Festival at Connecticut College in 1948. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2026

Shop windows and the local museum display crafts from this wood-carving mecca. —Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2026

The new hotel is also aiming to become a culinary mecca in Mallorca. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 6 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Mecca, Saudi Arabia, a destination of pilgrims in the Islamic world

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mecca

• caeca
• cheka
• decca
• theca
• areca
• azteca
• spermatheca

Kids Definition

mecca

noun

mec·​ca ˈmek-ə 

often capitalized

: a place regarded as a center for a specified group, activity, or interest

a mecca for tourists

Etymology

named for Mecca, city in Arabia, the birthplace of Muhammad and the goal of Muslim pilgrimages

Geographical Definition

Mecca

geographical name

Mec·​ca ˈme-kə 

variants or Arabic Makkah

ˈmä-kə 

holy city in western Saudi Arabia population 1,294,106

Note: Mecca is the chief pilgrimage destination for Muslims and the capital of Hejaz.

Meccan

ˈme-kən 

adjective or noun