Definition

Proper noun: * A city in Egypt: Aswan is an ancient city located on the Nile River in southern Egypt. It is historically significant and is the site of major dams.

Usage Notes

"Aswan" is used exclusively as a proper noun to refer to the specific Egyptian city. It is often discussed in historical, geographical, and engineering contexts due to its ancient monuments and the modern dams built nearby.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • We took a cruise on the Nile from Luxor to Aswan.
  • The Aswan High Dam was a monumental engineering project.
  • Many ancient artifacts were relocated before the construction of the Aswan Dam.

Advanced Usage

• "The Aswan Dams": This phrase specifically refers to the two dams built near the city: the older Aswan Low Dam (completed in 1902) and the larger Aswan High Dam (completed in 1970). The dams control flooding, provide irrigation, and generate hydroelectric power for Egypt.
  • The construction of the Aswan Dams created Lake Nasser, one of the world's largest artificial lakes.

Variants and Related Words

• Syene: The ancient Greek name for Aswan.
• Aswan High Dam: The specific name for the larger, more modern dam.
• Aswan Low Dam: The specific name for the older, original dam.

Synonyms

• Syene (historical)

Related Concepts

• Nile River: The river on which Aswan is situated.
• Lake Nasser: The vast reservoir created by the Aswan High Dam.
• Abu Simbel: An ancient archaeological site relocated to save it from the rising waters caused by the Aswan High Dam.

Noun

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