West Virginia

American  

noun

1. a state in the eastern United States. 24,181 sq. mi. (62,629 sq. km). Charleston. WV (for use with zip code), W.Va.

---

West Virginia British  

noun

1. Abbreviation: W Va.   W. Va..   WV.  a state of the eastern US: part of Virginia until the outbreak of the American Civil War (1861); consists chiefly of the Allegheny Plateau; bounded on the west by the Ohio River; coal-mining. Capital: Charleston. Pop: 1 810 354 (2003 est). Area: 62 341 sq km (24 070 sq miles)

---

West Virginia Cultural  

1. State in the southeastern United States bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland to the north, Virginia to the east and south, and Kentucky and Ohio to the west. Its capital and largest city is Charleston.

---

Discover More

Ranks first in bituminous coal production, with about twenty percent of the nation's total.

Separated from Virginia after Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861; it was granted statehood in 1863, during the Civil War.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• West Virginian
  adjective

Example Sentences

The Department of Energy will grant a further $200m to build new coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia, the first new plants in the US since 2013.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

The president also announced nearly $200 million in grants to build coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia, along with funding to restart a coal plant in Maryland.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

A large percentage of people carry persistent balances, said Scott Schuh, an economist at West Virginia University who studies credit-card spending.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

If the Bruins advance, they will host a super regional against the winner of the Morgantown Regional hosted by West Virginia.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026

It was the golden age of rock and roll, even for us kids in deepest West Virginia.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam