canton
[ kan-tn, -ton, kan-ton for 1–7; kan-ton, -tohn, or, esp. British, -toon for 8 ]
/ ˈkæn tn, -tɒn, kænˈtɒn for 1–7; kænˈtɒn, -ˈtoʊn, or, esp. British, -ˈtun for 8 /
noun
verb (used with object)
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Nearby words
cantingly, cantle, cantling, canto, canto fermo, canton, canton crepe, canton enamel, canton flannel, canton ginger, canton island
Origin of canton
Related formscan·ton·al, adjectivecan·ton·al·ism, nounun·can·toned, adjective
Definition for canton (2 of 3)
Canton
[ kan-ton, kan-ton for 1; kan-tn for 2–5 ]
/ kænˈtɒn, ˈkæn tɒn for 1; ˈkæn tn for 2–5 /
noun
Definition for canton (3 of 3)
Guangdong
[ gwahng-dawng ]
/ ˈgwɑŋˈdɔŋ /
noun Pinyin.
a province in SE China. 89,344 sq. mi. (231,401 sq. km). Capital: Canton.
Also Kwangtung.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for canton
British Dictionary definitions for canton (1 of 3)
canton
noun (ˈkæntɒn, kænˈtɒn)
any of the 23 political divisions of Switzerland
a subdivision of a French arrondissement
(ˈkæntən) heraldry a small square or oblong charge on a shield, usually in the top left corner
verb
(kænˈtɒn) (tr) to divide into cantons
(kənˈtuːn) (esp formerly) to allocate accommodation to (military personnel)
Derived Formscantonal, adjective
Word Origin for canton
C16: from Old French: corner, division, from Italian cantone, from canto corner, from Latin canthus iron rim; see cant ²
British Dictionary definitions for canton (2 of 3)
Canton
noun
(kænˈtɒn) a port in SE China, capital of Guangdong province, on the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River): the first Chinese port open to European trade. Pop: 3 881 000 (2005 est)Chinese names: Guangzhou, Kwangchow
(ˈkæntən) a city in the US, in NE Ohio. Pop: 80 806 (2000)
British Dictionary definitions for canton (3 of 3)
Guangdong
Kwangtung
/ (ˈɡwæŋˈdʊŋ) /
noun
a province of SE China, on the South China Sea: includes the Leizhou Peninsula, with densely populated river valleys; traditionally also including Macao and Hong Kong; the only true tropical climate in China. Capital: Canton. Pop: 79 540 000 (2003 est). Area: 197 100 sq km (76 100 sq miles)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for canton
canton
1530s, "corner, angle," from Middle French canton "piece, portion of a country" (13c.), from Italian (Lombard dialect) cantone "region," especially in the mountains, augmentative of Latin canto "section of a country," literally "corner" (see cant (n.2)). Originally in English a term in heraldry and flag descriptions; applied to the sovereign states of the Swiss republic from 1610s. Related: Cantoned.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper