mecca

noun

mec·​ca ˈme-kə 

often capitalized

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

a mecca for shoppers

Synonyms

• axis
• base
• capital
• center
• central
• core
• cynosure
• epicenter
• eye
• focus
• ground zero
• heart
• hub
• locus
• navel
• nerve center
• nexus
• nucleus
• omphalos
• seat

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

But this weekend's beach bonanza played out in Fort Lauderdale, which has become the 2024 mecca for Florida spring break. —Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2024

Los Angeles Apparel — which was once American Apparel and a mecca for bodysuits in the 2010s — is another great place to find lots of different bodysuit styles, including the Los Angeles Apparel Long Sleeve Crossfront Bodysuit. —Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024

An obsessive quail hunter, Pickens designed and managed the ranch with upland birds in mind, and it’s been called a quail mecca by some. —Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024

After a long day of hiking or skiing the mountain parks, head south to Kootenay National Park, a hot-spring mecca for tired muscles during the winter. —Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 5 Feb. 2024

While the South Florida hotspot is usually a mecca for spring breakers in mid-March, the city released a video breaking up with the annual event. —Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024

Records show the mayor’s net worth reached seven digits for the first time in 2021, as Suarez used his public office to promote Miami as a mecca for technology companies and venture capital. —Sarah Blaskey, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024

Olympia was a mecca of ancient Greek religion – its greatest sanctuary and one of its most important places of worship. —Rick Steves, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2024

Part of the evening’s charm came from the location: Park City’s newest music mecca, the Marquis. —William Earl, Variety, 21 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

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