souk

noun

variants or less commonly suq
: a marketplace in northern Africa or the Middle East
also : a stall in such a marketplace

Examples of souk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The property, a short walk from the main souk in Marrakech, was carved out of a vast garden space once gifted by the local Sultan to his son. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 16 Jan. 2024 The best place to get one used to be at the weaver’s souk, Fondouk Chejra, near the Marché Central. Tara Stevens Richard Pedaline, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023 Inspired by the Moroccan souk (or market), this soy wax candle smells of hints of amber, black vanilla, and incense. Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2023 Modern marketplace In a corner of Yas Mall, Ether by Cloud Spaces offers a riff on the traditional souk, replacing stalls with individually rentable terrazzo-and-metal cubes and gold-and-white racks featuring designs by young regional creatives. Hafsa Lodi, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Nov. 2023 In the souk in the center of town, some aid groups have begun to rehabilitate shops. Raja Abdulrahim Nicole Tung, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2023 Exploring Old Cairo down El Moez Street is a must, as well as visiting the souk shops and perfumers at Khan EL Khalili. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 12 Aug. 2023 The Bismillah Hotel is the oldest hotel in Doha, dating back to the 1950s when it was used by foreign traders, and has private balconies overlooking the souk. Jenna Scatena, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2022 There’s a rooftop pool, as well as work from local contemporary artists and a 30-seat fine-dining restaurant that will serve an ever-changing menu of seasonal dishes with ingredients from Carmel Market, Tel Aviv’s century-old open-air souk. New York Times, 10 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'souk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Arabic sūq market

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of souk was in 1826

Dictionary Entries Near souk

Cite this Entry

“Souk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/souk. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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