illinois
illinois Lexical Profile
• noun
American A state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the west and Lake Michigan to the northeast, known for its extensive agriculture, major industrial sectors, and its most populous city, Chicago.
"She moved to Illinois to pursue a degree in architecture at a university in downtown Chicago."
American A confederation of Algonquian-speaking Native American tribes that historically inhabited the upper Mississippi River valley and the Great Lakes region.
"Early French explorers and missionaries established extensive trade networks and alliances with the Illinois during the seventeenth century."
• Rhymes for illinois
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the French adaptation of the Algonquian (specifically Miami-Illinois) word 'ilinwe' or 'irenweewa', meaning 'he speaks the regular way'. It historically referred to the Illinois Confederation of Native American tribes.