District of Columbia

American  

noun

1. a federal area in the eastern United States, on the Potomac, coextensive with the federal capital, Washington. 69 sq. mi. (179 sq. km). DC (for use with zip code), D.C.

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District of Columbia British  

noun

1. Abbreviation: D.C..   DC.  a federal district of the eastern US, coextensive with the federal capital, Washington. Pop: 564 326 (2003 est). Area: 178 sq km (69 sq miles)

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District of Columbia Cultural  

1. The district occupied entirely by Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States; bordered by Maryland to the north and Virginia to the south.

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The District of Columbia was established by acts of Congress in 1790 and 1791 on a site selected by George Washington.

Example Sentences

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District of Columbia

Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia held in 2024 that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a private nonprofit that regulates stock exchanges, likely violates the private nondelegation doctrine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

David Hearn, 67, pleaded not guilty at the District of Columbia Superior Court following his felony indictment for allegedly causing more than $1,000 damage to the pool, which forms part of the Lincoln Memorial.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

With its 2008 decision in District of Columbia v.

From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2026

Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard argument in two cases about when the president can target private attorneys.

From Slate ● May 15, 2026

“I am glad to find you, sir. I have a telegram here for you all the way from Washington. That’s District of Columbia, sir. Not state of.”

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly