Delaware

[ del-uh-wair ]

/ ˈdɛl əˌwɛər /

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noun, plural Del·a·wares, (especially collectively) Del·a·ware for 5.

a state in the eastern United States, on the Atlantic coast. 2,057 square miles (5,330 square kilometers). Capital: Dover. Abbreviations: DE (for use with zip code), Del.

a city in central Ohio.

a river flowing south from southeastern New York, along the boundary between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, into the Delaware Bay. 296 miles (475 kilometers) long.

a member of a grouping of North American Indian peoples, comprising the Munsee, Unami, and Unalachtigo, formerly occupying the drainage basin of the Delaware River, the lower Hudson River valley, and the intervening area.

the Eastern Algonquian language of any of the Delaware peoples.

Horticulture.

a red vinifera grape grown for table use that yields a white wine.
the vine bearing this fruit.

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Origin of Delaware

First recorded in 1720–30 in reference to the American Indian peoples

Words nearby Delaware

de la Rue, delate, delative, Delaunay, Delavigne, Delaware, Delawarean, Delaware Bay, Delaware Jargon, Delaware Water Gap, De La Warr

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Delaware in a sentence

Delaware warned its residents their second appointments would be delayed as health officials distributed first doses.
As delays hamper some second coronavirus vaccine doses, a debate rages: Prioritize one shot or two?|Meryl Kornfield|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
Before the Delaware trip, he and his wife did not eat inside restaurants, attend large gatherings or forget their masks.
900,000 infected. Nearly 15,000 dead. How the coronavirus tore through D.C., Maryland and Virginia.|Rebecca Tan, Antonio Olivo, John D. Harden|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
Perhaps the behaviors and biting patterns in the South will eventually expand to Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, reducing Lyme disease cases there, says Ginsberg.
The animals that ticks bite in the U.S. South can impact Lyme disease spread|Aimee Cunningham|February 5, 2021|Science News
Similarly in Maryland and Delaware, all voters will receive a ballot for their new primaries.
Shrinking the GOP, one state at a time|Jennifer Rubin|February 2, 2021|Washington Post

In Delaware, there’s no race or ethnicity information tied to about a third of the administered vaccine doses overall, equalling more than 26,000 shots.
Many States Don't Know Who's Getting COVID-19 Vaccines. That's a Huge Problem for Equity|Chris Wilson|January 28, 2021|Time
We rented a house in New Castle, Delaware, that doubled as our filming location and lodging for the actors.
Nitehawk Shorts Festival: ‘Brute,’ a Twisted Take on Playing in the Dark|Julia Grinberg|November 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some months after Coltrane died, I was visiting a black college in Delaware.
The Stacks: John Coltrane’s Mighty Musical Quest|Nat Hentoff|October 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was impressed at the time to hear Biden schmooze with Maliki as if he were the governor of Delaware.
Exposed: The White House’s Professor-in-Chief|Jonathan Alter|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But watching this from what I call my “bench on the beach” in Delaware I had been watching [Ebola coverage] all summer.
Meet America’s New Top Ebola Fighter|Abby Haglage|September 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Miss Delaware Pageant is proud to congratulate Brittany and wishes Amanda the very best on her future endeavors.
24 Is Not Too “Old” to Compete for Miss America|Erin Cunningham|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was the last surviving officer of the Delaware regiment in the revolutionary army.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
At this juncture lord Delaware arrived with three ships, 150 men, and plenty of provisions, and settled the colony.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
The French fleet under count d'Estaing arrived off the Delaware, having been at sea 87 days.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
On the night of December 25 he crossed the Delaware, and before daybreak took Trenton by surprise.
The Political History of England - Vol. X.|William Hunt
The pilots in the River Delaware were warned not to conduct any of the tea ships into their harbour.
The Loyalists of America and Their Times, Vol. 1 of 2|Egerton Ryerson

British Dictionary definitions for Delaware (1 of 3)

Delaware¹

/ (ˈdɛləˌwɛə) /

noun

plural -wares or -ware a member of a North American Indian people formerly living near the Delaware River

the language of this people, belonging to the Algonquian family

British Dictionary definitions for Delaware (2 of 3)

Delaware²

/ (ˈdɛləˌwɛə) /

noun

a state of the northeastern US, on the Delmarva Peninsula: mostly flat and low-lying, with hills in the extreme north and cypress swamps in the extreme south. Capital: Dover. Pop: 817 491 (2003 est). Area: 5004 sq km (1932 sq miles)Abbreviation: Del., (with zip code) DE

a river in the northeastern US, rising in the Catskill Mountains and flowing south into Delaware Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic. Length 660 km (410 miles)

British Dictionary definitions for Delaware (3 of 3)

Delaware³

/ (ˈdɛləˌwɛə) /

noun

an American variety of grape that has sweet light red fruit

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

Cultural definitions for Delaware

Delaware

State in the eastern United States bordered by Pennsylvania to the north, Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and Maryland to the west and south. Its capital is Dover, and its largest city is Wilmington.

notes for Delaware

One of the thirteen colonies.