lower 48

Or Low·er 48

[loh-er fawr-tee-eyt]

noun

Informal.

1. the conterminous United States.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lower 48¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

And, for her efforts, Alaskans are poised to be better protected from the effects of the Republican austerity budget than Americans in the lower 48.

From Salon

A California teen who walked off a cliff while experiencing altitude-related hallucinations on the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states has begun a slow recovery but remains in a medically induced coma, his family said.

From Los Angeles Times

Then, they would freeze some of the sperm of the males there and take that — plus 10 live, adult starfish and larvae — back with them to the Lower 48.

From Los Angeles Times

Gray wolves in the lower 48 states, and particularly California, tend to weigh about 75-80 pounds.

From Los Angeles Times

After all, Minnesota is the northernmost of the Lower 48 states.

From Slate