Columbia

American  

[kuh-luhm-bee-uh] / kəˈlʌm bi ə /

noun

1. a river in southwestern Canada and the northwestern United States, flowing south and west from southeastern British Columbia through Washington along the boundary between Washington and Oregon and into the Pacific. 1,214 miles (1,955 km) long.

2. Cape Columbia, a cape on the northern coast of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, in the Arctic Ocean: northernmost point of Canada.

3. a city in and the capital of South Carolina, in the central part.

4. a city in central Missouri.

5. a city in central Maryland.

6. a city in central Tennessee.

7. a city in southeastern Pennsylvania.

8. Literary. the United States of America.

9. one of an American breed of large sheep, developed by crossbreeding the Lincoln and Rambouillet, noted for its good market lambs and heavy fleece of medium length.

10. Aerospace. the first space shuttle to orbit and return to earth.

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Columbia ¹ British  

/ kəˈlʌmbɪə /

noun

1. a river in NW North America, rising in the Rocky Mountains and flowing through British Columbia, then west to the Pacific. Length: about 1930 km (1200 miles)

2. a city in central South Carolina, on the Congaree River: the state capital. Pop: 117 357 (2003 est)

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Columbia ² British  

/ kəˈlʌmbɪə /

noun

1. the first test vehicle of the NASA space shuttle fleet to prove the possibility of routine access to space for scientific and commercial ventures

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Example Sentences

People have many reasons for taking issue with large-scale solar development, said Michael Gerrard, an environmental lawyer and founder of Columbia University’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

Atty. for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro says the suspect is being charged with two counts of using a firearm and one count of assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

“This is the sizzle in the restaurant world,” said Stephen Zagor, a veteran restaurant-industry consultant who teaches at Columbia Business School.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

Earlier this week, he told reporters in Victoria, British Columbia, that town residents continue to grieve.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

What restaurant did I eat at / What’s the distance from Nova Scotia to British Columbia / Do you know the time in London?

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse