from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Kaaba \Ka*a"ba\ (k[.a]*[=a]"b[.a]), prop. n. [Ar. ka'bah, lit.,
a square building, fr. ka'b cube.]
The small and nearly cubical stone building, in the court of
the Great Mosque at Mecca, toward which all Mohammedans must
pray. It contains a sacred black stone, believed by
Mohammedans to be one of the precious stones of paradise, and
to have been brought to Abraham when he was contructing the
Kaaba, by the Angel Gabriel. The Kaaba itself predates
Mohammed, having been a pantheon which contained Arab idols,
which were destroyed by Mohammed. [Written also {caaba},
{kaabeh} and {kaabah}.]
[1913 Webster +PJC]