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

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

Both novices and longboarders hold high regard for this surfing mecca on account of its enticing long breakers, which provide hours of great wave riding. —Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026

The winery is only a half-hour drive from Alba, a gastronomic mecca that is the epicenter of Piedmontese cuisine and white truffles. —Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026

Indeed, hospitals in New York City, on average, were worse staffed than hospitals in the rest of the state, ironic and troubling given the city’s reputation as a mecca for medical care. —Linda H. Aiken, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026

Frequenting some of the city’s smaller concert venues that help Chicago thrive as a live-music mecca. —Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 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

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