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Definition of patapsco
patapsco
/pəˈtæp.skoʊ/
pa · tap · sco
patapsco Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
American A 39-mile-long river in central Maryland, United States, that flows into the Chesapeake Bay, known for forming the inner harbor of Baltimore and for its historical significance during the War of 1812.
Example
"Fort McHenry sits at the mouth of the Patapsco River, where its defense inspired the writing of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from an Algonquian language (likely Piscataway), commonly translated to mean 'backwater' or 'tide covered with froth' (from 'pota-psk-ut').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Patapsco. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/patapsco