Decatur

American

[dih-key-ter] / dɪˈkeɪ tər /

noun

Stephen, 1779–1820, U.S. naval officer.
a city in central Illinois.
a city in N Alabama.
a city in N Georgia, near Atlanta.

Decatur British

/ dəˈkeɪtə /

noun

Stephen. 1779–1820, US naval officer, noted for his raid on Tripoli harbour (1804) and his role in the War of 1812

"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

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.

“Indexed Universal Life policies are often sold as a ‘have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too’ solution: stock-market upside with downside protection and tax-free income,” said Mark Stancato, a certified financial planner with VIP Wealth Advisors in Decatur, Ga.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026

Regional home price trends varied, with the Northeast up 4.9%, the West down 2.9%, and Decatur, Ill., seeing a 14% drop.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

He received a full scholarship to study guitar at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., but transferred to the New School in New York.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

“The most beautiful waterfall I’ve ever seen,” said Stephen Decatur, who works in disaster preparedness for the city of Dunsmuir.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2025

But on the other side of Decatur and Lewis, peace and quiet.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023