The Bosporus or Bosphorus, also known as the Strait of Istanbul, is a narrow, natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey. It forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia, and divides Turkey by separating Anatolia from Thrace.

What's the meaning of Bosphorus?

Definitions of Bosporus. a strait connecting the Mediterranean and the Black Sea; separates the European and Asian parts of Turkey; an important shipping route. example of: sound, strait.

Why is it called the Bosphorus?

The name of the channel comes from the Ancient Greek Βόσπορος (Bósporos), which was folk-etymologised as βοὸς πόρος, i.e. "cattle strait" (or "Ox-ford"), from the genitive of boûs βοῦς 'ox, cattle' + poros πόρος 'passage', thus meaning 'cattle-passage', or 'cow passage'.