mecca

noun, often capitalized

mec·ca | \ ˈme-kə

Definition of mecca

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

Mecca

geographical name

Mec·ca | \ ˈme-kə

variants: or Arabic Makkah \ ˈmä-kə

Definition of Mecca (Entry 2 of 2)

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

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

Other Words from mecca Synonyms The Figurative Use of Mecca More Example Sentences Learn More about mecca

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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.

Examples of mecca in a Sentence

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The pop-up makeup mecca is located in South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA and the aesthetic is alien glam – like, if ET were a beauty blogger. — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "Kim Kardashian is Opening a KKW Beauty Store Today and the Photos Are UNREAL," 4 Dec. 2018 The studio has become a bit of a mecca for riders who don’t live in NYC. — Cheryl Wischhover, Vox, "Peloton’s $2,000 stationary bike has totally disrupted working out at home," 14 Nov. 2018 But for hundreds of tourists every day, the half-museum, half-arcade, half-expansive gift shop (yup, three halves) is a kind of mecca to pay homage to the company and its creations. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Gallery: Exploring Nintendo’s flagship New York City store," 2 Sep. 2018 Charlottesville has long outgrown its patrician Jeffersonian roots to become a mecca for artists and musicians, youthful retirees, and clean-cut techies. — James Loeffler, WSJ, "The Struggle for Charlottesville," 10 Aug. 2018 The railroad arrived in Broad Ripple in 1883 and the following year, Broad Ripple Park was established on the land along the river banks and quickly became a mecca for swimming, boating and fishing (but never on Sunday, mind you). — Dawn Mitchell, Indianapolis Star, "Broad Ripple Park: 'Nature’s Gift to the Amusement World'," 13 Apr. 2018 For one week each year, the clean beauty mecca is both covetable and affordable. — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Whole Foods' Annual Beauty Week Event Has Arrived and Every Product Is on Sale," 12 Mar. 2019 And because the restaurant calls a fashion mecca (with its very own zip code) home, designers were also accounted for. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, "Bienvenue, L’Avenue! The Parisian Restaurant Lands at Saks With a Designer-Filled First Supper," 1 Feb. 2019 Fire Station #4: Columbus, Indiana (1968) One of the standouts in Indiana’s mecca of modernist architecture, this clean, simple brick building was meant to be a functional and inexpensive space. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Masterpieces of Robert Venturi, a postmodern architecture icon," 20 Sep. 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.