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

If it were passed through the Senate, it would be referred to the top prosecutor for the District of Columbia for possible prosecution.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

The District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department closed its investigation without filing charges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia subpoenaed JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo over whether their account closings violated the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act and related laws.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 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

So far, forty-six states and the District of Columbia have signed on to what is called the Common Core set of standards.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove