washington
washington Lexical Profile
• noun
American The capital city of the United States, formally known as Washington, D.C., located along the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia, serving as the seat of the federal government.
American A state located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and Canada to the north, known for its diverse geography.
American The political establishment, administration, or federal government of the United States, used metonymically.
"Many voters felt frustrated with the slow legislative progress and demanded sweeping political reforms from Washington."
Word Nuance & Usage
Care must be taken in North American contexts to distinguish between Washington state (often specified as 'Washington State') and the U.S. capital (typically specified as 'Washington, D.C.' or 'D.C.'). It is also heavily used as a metonym for the U.S. federal government.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the surname of George Washington. The surname itself traces back to the town of Washington in Tyne and Wear, England, which originates from the Old English 'Wassingatūn', meaning 'settlement of Wassa's people'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.