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"
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"