California

American  

[kal-uh-fawrn-yuh, -fawr-nee-uh] / ˌkæl əˈfɔrn yə, -ˈfɔr ni ə /

noun

1. a state in the western United States, on the Pacific coast. 158,693 square miles (411,015 square kilometers). Sacramento. CA (for use with zip code), Cal., Calif.

2. Gulf of California, an arm of the Pacific Ocean, extending northwest between the coast of western Mexico and the peninsula of Baja California. About 750 miles (1,207 kilometers) long; 62,600 square miles (162,100 square kilometers).

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California British  

/ ˌkælɪˈfɔːnɪə /

noun

1. Abbreviation: Cal..   Calif..   CA.  a state on the W coast of the US: the third largest state in area and the largest in population; consists of a narrow, warm coastal plain rising to the Coast Range, deserts in the south, the fertile central valleys of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in the east; major industries include the growing of citrus fruits and grapes, fishing, oil production, electronics, information technology, and films. Capital: Sacramento. Pop: 35 484 453 (2003 est). Area: 411 015 sq km (158 693 sq miles)

2. an arm of the Pacific Ocean, between Sonora and Lower California

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California Cultural  

1. State in the Far West bordered by Oregon to the north; Nevada and Arizona to the east; Baja California, Mexico, to the south; and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Its capital is Sacramento, and its largest city is Los Angeles.

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Discover More

The state is famous for all the fads and ideas that originate there, many of which are considered strange or eccentric.

California is the most populous state. It is known for its earthquakes, high-tech (see also high-tech) industries (see Silicon Valley), and agriculture.

During the California gold rush tens of thousands of people poured into California in search of gold. It is sometimes called the “Golden State.” (See forty-niners.)

Other Word Forms

• Californian adjective

Example Sentences

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the American University of Beirut now suggest an answer, and it points to Einstein's general theory of relativity.

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

California health officials are urging high-risk residents to get vaccinated against mpox after a potentially more-severe strain of the virus was detected for the first time in San Francisco.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

After that, she and her husband moved to California, where she shortened her commute drastically and was hired as a rabbinical intern at Congregation Emeth in Morgan Hill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Clade I was detected for the first time in California in November 2024, in San Mateo County, and additional cases were identified in Los Angeles County in October.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

He knew that the San Andreas fault runs north and south for hundreds of miles in California, making that land particularly susceptible to earthquakes.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret