A term originally applied to the Balkan states of south-eastern Europe, but now generally applied to the countries of south-western Asia between the Mediterranean and India (including the Middle East), especially in historical contexts.
Definition of Near East in US English:
Near East
proper nounˈˌnir ˈēstˈˌnɪr ˈist
the Near East
A term originally applied to the Balkan states of southeastern Europe, but now generally applied to the countries of southwestern Asia between the Mediterranean and India (including the Middle East), especially in historical contexts.