the area around the eastern Mediterranean; from Turkey to northern Africa and eastward to Iran; the site of such ancient civilizations as Phoenicia and Babylon and Egypt and the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity and Islam; had continuous economic and political turmoil in the 20th century; "the Middle East is the cradle of Western civilization"
the mental faculty or power of vocal communication; "language sets homo sapiens apart from all other animals"
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols; "he taught foreign languages"; "the language introduced is standard throughout the text"; "the speed with which a program can be executed depends on the language in which it is written"
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure; "grew the usual vegetables"; "the usual summer heat"; "came at the usual time"; "the child's usual bedtime"
an organization that is a member of another organization (especially a state that belongs to a group of nations); "the library was a member of the interlibrary loan association"; "Canada is a member of the United Nations"
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participates in a group organization); "only members will be admitted"; "a member of the faculty"; "she was introduced to all the members of his family"
anything that belongs to a set or class; "snakes are members of the class Reptilia"; "members of the opposite sex"
a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo"
informal language consisting of words and expressions that are not considered appropriate for formal occasions; often vituperative or vulgar; "their speech was full of slang expressions"