A city of southwest West Germany on the Rhine River. Settled by the Celts, colonized by the Romans, and destroyed by the Huns, it was later rebuilt and made a free imperial city in the 13th century. Speyer was ceded to France in 1797 and to Bavaria in 1815. It is an important river port and an industrial and manufacturing center. Population: 50,600.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
