mecca

noun, often capitalized mec·ca \ ˈme-kə \

|Updated on: 4 Aug 2018

Examples: mecca in a Sentence

Editor's Note: The Figurative Use of Mecca

Definition of mecca

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

a mecca for shoppers

See mecca defined for English-language learners

See mecca defined for kids

Examples of mecca in a Sentence

The valley is a mecca for wine lovers.
The town has become a mecca for tourists.

Recent Examples of mecca from the Web

Corporate law has made Delaware a mecca for incorporation, creating a billion-dollar industry and leaving the small state with more companies than people.

— samuel rubenfeld, WSJ, "Delaware Backs Overhaul of Shell-Company Rules," 25 June 2018
Amid the vineyards and rustic B&Bs of Australia's Mornington Peninsula, an hour southeast of antipodean foodie mecca Melbourne, sits a 23-foot-tall metal sculpture of a jackalope.

— cnt editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "Best New Hotels in the World," 1 May 2018
Long one of China’s poorest and most isolated regions, Hainan has been transforming itself into a tropical vacation mecca, while also serving as a strategic outpost in the South China Sea.

— Washington Post, "Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea," 23 Apr. 2018
While New York is traditionally a mecca of sorts for basketball, the city has not produced much NBA talent in recent years; Walker is arguably the most accomplished New York native currently playing in the league.

— rick bonnell, charlotteobserver, "Why All-Star Kemba Walker’s New York ties should worry Charlotte Hornets," 13 July 2018
The model was at the makeup mecca to see her BECCAxCHRISSY range display.

— alexia fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Chrissy Teigen Risks the Wrath of Mommy Shamers as She Tries to Achieve the Perfect Family Photo," 2 July 2018
The city that Noma built is now a culinary mecca not only for gastronauts but also for young cooks from around the world who come here to work at forward-thinking restaurants before going off to open their own casual concepts around town.

— Bon Appetit, "Copenhagen," 25 June 2018
The region is a mecca for tasting menus, but is equally adored for its pintxos, bite-size snacks that are ordered at a bar and far more accessible than their white tablecloth counterparts.

— christina liao, Vogue, "The World’s 5 Best Chefs Share Their Favorite Food Cities," 19 June 2018
The mountain’s 65 sheer peaks are also a mecca for rock climbers and hikers.

— Smithsonian, "Explore Catalonia’s Most Beautiful Nature Parks," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mecca.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.