Ephesus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An ancient Greek city located on the coast of Asia Minor in what is now Turkey, famous for the Temple of Artemis
2. A major port city of classical antiquity situated in present-day western Turkey, renowned as a center of trade and culture in the ancient world
3. An important city of ancient Greece positioned in the region of Ionia on the Aegean coast, celebrated for its architectural achievements and historical significance

Etymology: Ephesus is a proper noun, the name of an ancient Greek city on the coast of what is now western Turkey, and the English word is borrowed directly from Latin "Ephesus," which itself came from the Greek "Ἔφεσος" (Éphesos). The city was one of the great trading centres of the Mediterranean world, famous for its temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and for the letter the apostle Paul addressed to its Christian community, which gave English the "Epistle to the Ephesians." Because the city's name passed into English largely through the Bible and classical texts, the word has mostly stayed a name rather than becoming a common noun. Its spelling and form follow the Latin route, with the Greek "Ph" rendered as "ph" and the ending "-us" preserved, so the English form reads much like the Latin one rather than being adapted to English spelling habits.