Hopewell

¹ American

[hohp-wel, -wuhl] / ˈhoʊp wɛl, -wəl /

noun

a city in E Virginia, on the James River.

Hopewell ² American

[hohp-wel, -wuhl] / ˈhoʊp wɛl, -wəl /

Also Hopewellian

adjective

Archaeology.

of or relating to an advanced mound-building and agricultural Amerindian culture 100 b.c.–a.d. 400, centered in Ohio and Illinois and characterized by geometric earthworks, many large conical or dome-shaped burial mounds, corded and stamped pottery, ornamental knives and tobacco pipes, and the extensive trading of raw materials and artifacts.

Etymology

Origin of Hopewell

After Cloud Hopewell, owner (circa 1890) of a farm in Ross Co., Ohio, on which tumuli characterizing the culture were excavated

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“People think depression is related mostly to emotional reactions, but depression can happen because of neurological injury,” said Clifford Hopewell, a neuropsychologist and retired U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

Born in Chile, Tetelman was adopted at about 7 months and grew up in Hopewell Township, New Jersey.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2024

Humberside Police was called to Hopewell Road in the Bilton Grange area at 15:40 BST on Thursday.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2024

“The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks don’t reveal themselves to you right away,” Dan Kois writes.

From Slate • Sep. 25, 2023

Instead, one can speculate, the vehicle for transformation may have been Hopewell religion, with its intoxicatingly elaborate funeral rites.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023