samarkand

noun

1. a city in SE Uzbekistan: taken by Alexander the Great 329 b.c.; Tamerlane’s capital in the 14th century.

noun

1. a province of the ancient Persian Empire between the Oxus and Jaxartes rivers: now in Uzbekistan. Capital: Samarkand.

noun

1. a city in E Uzbekistan: under Tamerlane it became the chief economic and cultural centre of central Asia, on trade routes from China and India (the “silk road”). Pop: 289 000 (2005 est)Ancient name: Maracanda

noun

1. a region of ancient central Asia. Its chief city was Samarkand