Ellis Island

noun

an island in upper New York Bay: a former U.S. immigrant examination station.

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Cultural definitions for ellis island (1 of 2)

Ellis Island

An island in the harbor of New York City. The chief immigration station of the United States was on Ellis Island from 1892 to 1943, a time when millions of people, especially from Europe, came to the United States.

notes for Ellis Island

Ellis Island lies near the Statue of Liberty, which made an impressive sight for people approaching the United States for the first time.

notes for Ellis Island

1990 marked the opening of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

Cultural definitions for ellis island (2 of 2)

Ellis Island

Island in the harbor of New York City, southwest of Manhattan.

notes for Ellis Island

From 1892 to 1954, it served as the prime immigration station of the country. Some twelve million immigrants passed through it during this time.

notes for Ellis Island

Part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.