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Definition of yangon
yangon
/jɑːŋˈɡoʊn/
Yan · gon
yangon Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
7
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
The largest city, commercial hub, and former capital of Myanmar (Burma), situated in the southern part of the country near the convergence of the Yangon and Bago rivers.
Example
"During our tour of Southeast Asia, we spent three days in Yangon marveling at the spectacular golden stupa of the Shwedagon Pagoda."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for yangonWord Nuance & Usage
Yangon is frequently recognized by its former British colonial name, Rangoon. It is also often mistakenly assumed to still be the capital of Myanmar, a status it lost to Naypyidaw in 2006.
• Rhymes for yangon
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Burmese words 'yan' (enemies) and 'koun' (to run out of), combining to mean 'End of Strife'. It was anglicized as 'Rangoon' during the British colonial era.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Yangon. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/yangon