(n)an ancient city on the Bosporus founded by the Greeks; site of modern Istanbul; in 330 Constantine I rebuilt the city and called it Constantinople and made it his capital
prop. n. An ancient city on the Bosphorus founded by the Greeks. It was later renamed Constaninople in honor of the emperor Constantine, and renamed Istanbul by the Turks, which name it still retains. [ WordNet 1.5 ]