(n)the largest city and former capital of Turkey; rebuilt on the site of ancient Byzantium by Constantine I in the fourth century; renamed Constantinople by Constantine who made it the capital of the Byzantine Empire; now the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Syn.Stambul, Constantinople, Stamboul
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English (GCIDE) v.0.53Collaborative International Dictionary (GCIDE)
prop. n. A city in European Turkey, built on the site of ancient Byzantium. It is the former capital of the Turkish Empire, known as Constantinople before being captured by the Turks. Syn. --Stambul, Stamboul, Constantinople. [ WordNet 1.5 ]