Meanings
alternative Baghdad-by-the-Bay
- datedinformalSan Francisco (a city in California).
Synonyms: San Fran, Frisco, The City, The City by the Bay, The City That Knows How
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounSan Francisco (a city in California).
Origin
Coined by American columnist Herb Caen in the late 1940s, likely reflecting the multiculturalism and exotic character of the city, while also identifying the city with a great historical cultural and intellectual center, as well as possibly implying a moral association with Babylon.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Baghdad by the Bay. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Baghdad%20by%20the%20Bay
“Baghdad by the Bay.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Baghdad%20by%20the%20Bay. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Baghdad by the Bay,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Baghdad%20by%20the%20Bay.
Source: Baghdad by the Bay on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.