Kentucky

American  

[kuhn-tuhk-ee] / kənˈtʌk i /

noun

1. a state in the east central United States. 40,395 sq. mi. (104,625 sq. km). Frankfort. KY (for use with zip code), Ken., Ky.

2. a river flowing northwest from eastern Kentucky to the Ohio River. 259 miles (415 km) long.

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Kentucky British  

/ kɛnˈtʌkɪ /

noun

1. Abbreviation: Ken..   Ky..   KY.  a state of the S central US: consists of an undulating plain in the west, the Bluegrass region in the centre, the Tennessee and Ohio River basins in the southwest, and the Appalachians in the east. Capital: Frankfort. Pop: 4 117 827 (2003 est). Area: 102 693 sq km (39 650 sq miles)

2. a river in central Kentucky, rising in the Cumberland Mountains and flowing northwest to the Ohio River. Length: 417 km (259 miles)

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Kentucky Cultural  

1. State in the east-central United States bordered by Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to the east; Tennessee to the south; and Missouri to the west. Its capital is Frankfort. Louisville is its largest city.

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Discover More

The state is known for the breeding of race horses. The Kentucky Derby, a famous horse race, is held every year in Louisville.

Kentucky bluegrass is a type of folk music that originated in the southern United States. The music is named for a bluish-tinged grass that grows in Kentucky.

Other Word Forms

• Kentuckian adjective

Example Sentences

Giovani Hodgson, a senior at the University of Kentucky, said internships from his freshman year on helped him secure a spot in Ernst & Young’s supply-chain and operations division once he graduates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

I told them I was from Kentucky, and I grew up working class in Appalachia, where my family still lived.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

The vast majority of day traders lose most or all of their money, warned Marni Rock Gibson, a Kentucky regulator who is the president of the North American Securities Administrators Association.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

In the third round, the Sparks took Amelia Hassett at No. 35 overall from Kentucky.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

In the summer of 2007, Beatrice Ziaty decided to leave Clarkston for Iowa, taking young Jeremiah with her while Mandela was in Job Corps in Kentucky.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John