Definition

Proper noun: * Basel: A city in northwestern Switzerland, situated on the Rhine River where the borders of Switzerland, France, and Germany meet. It is a major cultural and industrial center.

Usage

• Basel is used as the name of the specific Swiss city.
  • The pharmaceutical conference will be held in Basel next month.
  • Basel is famous for its annual carnival and its many museums.*

Advanced Usage

• Basel can be used metonymically to refer to institutions or events based in the city.
  • The Basel accords are international banking regulations. (Referring to agreements developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, which is based in the city.)
  • Art Basel is a premier international art fair.

Variants and Related Words

• Basle: An alternative, chiefly British, spelling for the city of Basel.
• Bâle: The French name for the city.
• Basel-Stadt (Basel-City): One of the two cantons (the other being Basel-Landschaft, or Basel-Country) that resulted from the partition of the historic canton of Basel.

Synonyms

• City on the Rhine: A descriptive synonym referencing its geographic location.
• (The) Cultural Capital of Switzerland: A common epithet highlighting its artistic significance.

Noun

1. a city in northwestern Switzerland