tripoli

1 of 3

noun (1)

trip·​o·​li ˈtri-pə-lē 

1

: an earth consisting of very friable soft schistose deposits of silica and including diatomite and kieselguhr

2

: an earth consisting of friable dustlike silica not of diatomaceous origin

Tripolitan

2 of 3

adjective

Tri·​pol·​i·​tan trə̇ˈpälətᵊn 

1

or Tripolitanian

trə̇¦pälə¦tānyən, 

¦triˌpäl-, 

¦tripəl-, 

-ānēən

: of or belonging to Tripolitania, North Africa

2

[Tripoli, former Barbary state in northern Africa + -itan (as in metropolitan)] : of or belonging to the Barbary state of Tripoli

Tripolitan

3 of 3

noun (2)

"

variants or Tripolitanian

"

plural -s

: one of the people of Tripoli, Libya

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French, from Tripoli, region of Africa

Adjective

tripolitan back-formation from Tripolitania; tripolitanian from Tripolitania + English -an

Noun (2)

tripolitan back-formation from Tripolitania; tripolitanian from Tripolitania + English -an, noun suffix

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Geographical Definition

Tripoli

geographical name

Trip·​o·​li ˈtri-pə-lē 

1

or Arabic Ṭarābulus

tə-ˈrä-bə-ləs 

or ancient Tripolis

ˈtri-pə-ləs 

city and port on the Mediterranean Sea in northwestern Lebanon north-northeast of Beirut population 127,611

2

or Arabic Ṭarābulus or ancient Oea

ˈē-ə 

city and port on the Mediterranean Sea in northwestern Libya population 591,062

Note: Tripoli is the capital of Libya.

3

Tripolitania when it was one of the Barbary States

Tripolitan

tri-ˈpä-lə-tən 

adjective or noun