Definition

Proper noun * Aswan: An ancient city located on the Nile River in Egypt. It is historically significant and is the site of two major dams built across the Nile.

Usage

• The word "Assuan" is a historical or alternative spelling for the modern city of Aswan. It is used primarily in historical or geographical contexts.
• It functions as a proper noun, always capitalized, and typically refers to the city itself or its associated historical and geographical features.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The ancient city of Assuan was a crucial frontier town in southern Egypt.
  • The first dam at Assuan was completed in 1902.
  • Many archaeological expeditions have been conducted in the region of Assuan.

Advanced Usage

• "Assuan Dam": Refers specifically to the original dam (the Aswan Low Dam) built near the city, completed in 1902.
  • The construction of the Assuan Dam helped control the Nile's annual flood.
• In historical texts, "Assuan" may be used to describe the region's role in trade or as a border garrison.

Variants and Related Words

• Aswan (n): The modern, standard English spelling for the city.
• Syene (n): The ancient Greek name for the same city.
• Aswan High Dam (n): The larger, second dam built upstream in the 1960s.

Synonyms

• Aswan: The direct modern synonym.
• Syene: An ancient synonym from the classical period.

Noun

1. an ancient city on the Nile in Egypt; two dams across the Nile have been built nearby