Guam

[gwahm]

noun

an island, belonging to the U.S., in the N Pacific, E of the Philippines: the largest of the Marianas group; U.S. naval station. 206 sq. mi. (535 sq. km). Capital: Agaña. Abbreviation: GU (for use with zip code).

Related formsGua·ma·ni·an

[gwah-mey-nee-uh n] /gwɑˈmeɪ ni ən/, noun, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for guam

Contemporary Examples of guam

U.S. officials insisted the flights from a base in Guam were part of a long-planned training exercise.
U.S. Uses B-52 Bombers to Brush Back Chinese Expansion
Nico Hines
November 27, 2013
Spain blows up the USS Maine (or at least we claim it does), we end up taking over Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
Ten Years Later, the Hubris That Landed Us in Iraq Has Collapsed
Peter Beinart
March 18, 2013
The fighting on Guam was all but done when he arrived, and he was able to play baseball between patrols.
Gore Vidal’s Great Love, Baseball Prodigy James Trimble
Michael Daly
August 2, 2012
It was Richard Nixon who announced what has come to be known as the Nixon doctrine in Guam in 1969.
How Obama Got Fierce on Foreign Policy: James Mann’s 'The Obamians'
Jacob Heilbrunn
June 15, 2012
Until this week, the last time Guam and Saipan were fought over was during World War II.
Guam and Saipan Make Tempting Targets for Delegate-Hungry GOP Candidates
Ben Jacobs
March 10, 2012

Historical Examples of guam

He called the group of small islands, of which Guam is one, the Ladrones.
Introductory American History
Henry Eldridge Bourne
If we did not, it would not matter—there were half a dozen Spanish priests in Guam.
The Strange Adventure Of James Shervinton
Louis Becke
I was afraid you'd be sent back to the Philippines, or to Guam.
Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants
H. Irving Hancock
The goods were for the Acapulco ship which had escaped them at Guam, and was now at Manilla.
Notable Voyagers
W.H.G. Kingston and Henry Frith
We have now laid a course for Guam, and Guam I hope we shall reach some day or other.
The Three Admirals
W.H.G. Kingston

British Dictionary definitions for guam

Guam

noun

an island in the N Pacific, the largest and southernmost of the Marianas: belonged to Spain from the 17th century until 1898, when it was ceded to the US; site of naval and air force bases. Capital: Agana (now officially spelt Hagåtña). Pop: 160 378 (2013 est). Area: 541 sq km (209 sq miles)

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

Word Origin and History for guam

Guam

from Chamorro Guahan, said to mean literally "what we have."

guam in Culture

Guam

[(gwahm)]

A self-governing island territory of the United States, located in the western Pacific Ocean. With important naval and air bases, Guam is an American military bastion in the Pacific.