Boston
noun
a seaport in and the capital of Massachusetts, in the E part.
Boston
American
[baw-stuhn, bos-tuhn]
/ ˈbɔ stən, ˈbɒs tən /
noun
-
a seaport in and the capital of Massachusetts, in the E part.
-
(lowercase) a variety of whist, popular in the early 19th century, played by four persons with two packs of cards.
-
(usually lowercase) a social dance that is a modification of the waltz.
boston
1
British
/ ˈbɒstən /
noun
-
a card game for four, played with two packs
-
a slow gliding dance, a variation of the waltz
Boston
2
British
/ ˈbɒstən /
noun
-
a port in E Massachusetts, the state capital. Pop: 581 616 (2003 est)
-
a port in E England, in SE Lincolnshire. Pop: 35 124 (2001)
Boston
Cultural
Discover More
Site of the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.
Boston is often called “the Hub” for “Hub of the Universe,” or “Beantown” after Boston baked beans.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
And in the butler’s pantry, where Paul once stood making martinis, there is now, as the Boston Globe notes, “further Poggenpohl cabinetry, Sub-Zero refrigeration, and a beverage cooler.”
From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026
In addition to their own international properties, Holland and Zendaya also spent some significant time in Boston, where they stayed while Zendaya filmed the movie “The Drama” with Robert Pattinson.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
“He defined the word ‘passion,’” said art historian Paul Hayes Tucker, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Wolfe’s Williams College roommate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
“These are my weird people,” said Sass Taft, a Boston resident and first-time attendee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
This Jean Shepherd Show theme song had been recorded by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops orchestra, and the equestrian feel to the piece made Bobby feel good the instant he heard it.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
It was a multi-layered effort from what we could tell— many different groups— we couldn’t name who was who — army/national guard/ boston swat etc but it appeared to be state/local/federal.
From New York Times ● Feb. 14, 2018
A boston mathematician and astronomer established this observatory outside of downtown Flagstaff in 1894, and it was here in 1930 that astronomers discovered the planet Pluto.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 5, 2017
In the boston area, high tech has all but completely moved to the city in just a short few years.
From New York Times ● Aug. 1, 2016
Wearing a T-shirt that read "boston stands as one", the Celtics' Paul Pierce expressed gratitude for the show of support and vowed, "Boston will rise and run again."
From Reuters ● Apr. 21, 2013
Twice a week the pair dined at the chateau, but they came every evening to play boston with the d'Hauteserres; for Laurence, unable to play a game, did not even know one card from another.
From An Historical Mystery by Katharine Prescott Wormeley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
