Iowa

American  

[ahy-uh-wuh, ahy-uh-wey] / ˈaɪ ə wə, ˈaɪ əˌweɪ /

noun

plural

Iowas,

plural

Iowa

1. a state in the central United States: a part of the Midwest. 56,290 sq. mi. (145,790 sq. km). Des Moines. IA (approved esp. for use with zip code), Ia., Io.

2. a river flowing southeast from northern Iowa to the Mississippi River. 291 miles (470 km) long.

3. a member of an American Indian people originally of Iowa, Missouri, and Minnesota but now of Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas.

4. the Siouan language spoken by the Iowa Indians.

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Iowa British  

/ ˈaɪəʊə /

noun

1. Abbreviation: Ia..   IA.  a state of the N central US, in the Midwest: consists of rolling plains crossed by many rivers, with the Missouri forming the western border and the Mississippi the eastern. Capital: Des Moines. Pop: 2 944 062 (2003 est). Area: 144 887 sq km (55 941 sq miles)

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Iowa Cultural  

1. State in the midwestern United States bordered by Minnesota to the north, Wisconsin and Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, and Nebraska and South Dakota to the west. Its capital and largest city is Des Moines.

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Example Sentences

Ta’Shawn James, a defensive back who transferred from Iowa to UCLA, showed strength during drills — an encouraging sign early in his progression.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

She came to Iowa for Thanksgiving in 2022.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

Born Mary Beth Supinger in Marshalltown, Iowa, on Sept. 25, 1946, Hurt studied drama at the University of Iowa before pursuing graduate studies at New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Iowa typically requires a signoff from Ommen when insurers buy investments from an affiliated company that amount to 3% or more of the insurers’ total holdings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

I know the map is of Iowa Circle, but the upper right corner says “Jamaica.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse