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Definition of kalamazoo
kalamazoo
/ˌkæl.ə.məˈzuː/
Kal · a · ma · zoo
Plural:Kalamazoos
kalamazoo Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
American A city in southwestern Michigan, United States, located along the Kalamazoo River and historically known for its paper and pharmaceutical industries.
Example
"She decided to attend college at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo."
2
American A type of railway handcar or velocipede historically used by track inspectors and maintenance workers, named after the manufacturing company originally located in Kalamazoo.
Example
"The railroad workers pumped the handles of the old kalamazoo to travel down the branch line."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for kalamazoo• Rhymes for kalamazoo
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from a Potawatomi Native American word, possibly meaning 'the boiling water' (referring to the river's eddies) or 'mirage' (reflecting water).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Kalamazoo. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/kalamazoo