Minnesota

American  

[min-uh-soh-tuh] / ˌmɪn əˈsoʊ tə /

noun

1. a state in the northern central United States. 84,068 sq. mi. (217,735 sq. km). St. Paul. MN (for use with zip code), Minn.

2. a river flowing southeast from the western border of Minnesota into the Mississippi near St. Paul. 332 miles (535 km) long.

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Minnesota British  

/ ˌmɪnɪˈsəʊtə /

noun

1. Abbreviation: Minn.   MN.  a state of the N central US: chief US producer of iron ore. Capital: St Paul. Pop: 5 059 375 (2003 est). Area: 218 600 sq km (84 402 sq miles)

2. a river in S Minnesota, flowing southeast and northeast to the Mississippi River near St Paul. Length: 534 km (332 miles)

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Minnesota Cultural  

1. State in the north-central United States bordered by Manitoba and Ontario, Canada, to the north; Lake Superior and Wisconsin to the east; Iowa to the south; and South Dakota and North Dakota to the west. Its capital is St. Paul, and its largest city is Minneapolis.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Minnesotan
  adjective

Example Sentences

King rounded out his eight-year career with stints in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas, then spent some time as a coach in the Continental Basketball Assn. and the NBA’s G-League.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have demonstrated an unexpected new way to change how a metal behaves electronically.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

Shirley rose to fame in 2025 with shady videos claiming to expose daycare fraud in Minnesota.

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026

The point was proven in 1945, when a Minnesota museum’s janitor—confronted with snowdrifts—unwittingly returned “In Advance of the Broken Arm” to its original function.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

When Dutchy lived on the streets, he never felt as alone, he tells me, as he did growing up in Minnesota.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline