tripoli

noun

trip·​o·​li ˈtri-pə-lē 

1

: an earth consisting of very friable soft schistose deposits of silica and including diatomite and kieselguhr

2

: an earth consisting of friable dustlike silica not of diatomaceous origin

Word History

Etymology

French, from Tripoli, region of Africa

First Known Use

circa 1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Geographical Definition

Tripoli

geographical name

Trip·​o·​li ˈtri-pə-lē 

1

or Arabic Ṭarābulus

tə-ˈrä-bə-ləs 

or ancient Tripolis

ˈtri-pə-ləs 

city and port on the Mediterranean Sea in northwestern Lebanon north-northeast of Beirut population 127,611

2

or Arabic Ṭarābulus or ancient Oea

ˈē-ə 

city and port on the Mediterranean Sea in northwestern Libya population 591,062

Note: Tripoli is the capital of Libya.

3

Tripolitania when it was one of the Barbary States

Tripolitan

tri-ˈpä-lə-tən 

adjective or noun