Erie

American  

[eer-ee] / ˈɪər i /

noun

plural

Eries,

plural

Erie

1. Lake, a lake between the NE central United States and SE central Canada: the southernmost lake of the Great Lakes; site of the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813 in which Commodore Perry defeated the British. 239 miles (385 km) long; 9,940 sq. mi. (25,745 sq. km).

2. a port in NW Pennsylvania, on Lake Erie.

3. a member of a tribe of American Indians formerly living along the southern shore of Lake Erie.

---

Erie ¹ British  

/ ˈɪərɪ /

noun

1. a member of a North American Indian people formerly living south of Lake Erie

2. the language of this people, possibly belonging to the Iroquoian family

---

Erie ² British  

/ ˈɪərɪ /

noun

1. a lake between the US and Canada: the southernmost and the shallowest of the Great Lakes; empties by the Niagara River into Lake Ontario. Area: 25 718 sq km (9930 sq miles)

2. a port in NW Pennsylvania, on Lake Erie. Pop: 101 373 (2003 est)

---

Etymology

Origin of Erie

From Erie (an Iroquoian language) Erie, Eriez, shortening of Erielhonan “long tail” (the Erie were called the Cat People, referring to the cougar)

Example Sentences

The team collected samples from multiple sites across Lake Erie throughout the year and measured how much of the saxitoxin-related gene appeared in each sample.

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2025

Lake effect snow downwind of Lakes Superior, Erie, and Ontario could reduce visibility on roadways on Thanksgiving, with more than a foot of snow expected in some areas by Friday.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

Both are rides at Cedar Point, a Six Flags theme park on the shores of Lake Erie in Ohio.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025

One was a guided missile cruiser, the USS Lake Erie.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2025

I looked down at my map and said, “I’m trying to get to Erie, Pennsylvania.”

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck