Turkish describes anything relating to Turkey, a country that bridges Europe and Asia, or to the Turkish people and their language.

The Turkish language uses a different alphabet from English and reads left to right like English does. It's known for building long words by adding suffixes. About 80 million people speak Turkish, mostly in Turkey but also in nearby countries.

Turkish culture blends influences from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Turkish carpets are famous worldwide for their intricate patterns and vivid colors. Turkish cuisine gave us dishes like kebabs, baklava, and Turkish delight (a sweet, chewy candy dusted with powdered sugar). A Turkish bath, called a hammam, is a traditional steam bath where people relax and get clean.

Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, was once called Constantinople and served as the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Today it's the only major city in the world that sits on two continents at once. The Turkish flag features a white crescent moon and star on a red background.

When you see “Turkish” on a menu, in a history book, or on a product label, it connects back to this country where East meets West.