Oregon

American  

[awr-i-guhn, ‑-gon, or‑] / ˈɔr ɪ gən, ‑ˌgɒn, ˈɒr‑ /

noun

1. a state in the northwestern United States, on the Pacific coast. 96,981 square miles (251,180 square kilometers). Salem. OR (for use with zip code), Oreg., Ore.

2. a city in northwestern Ohio.

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Oregon British  

/ ˈɒrɪɡən /

noun

1. Abbreviation: Oreg..   OR.  a state of the northwestern US, on the Pacific: consists of the Coast and Cascade Ranges in the west and a plateau in the east; important timber production. Capital: Salem. Pop: 3 559 596 (2003 est). Area: 251 418 sq km (97 073 sq miles)

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Oregon Cultural  

1. State in the northwestern United States bordered by Washington to the north, Idaho to the east, Nevada and California to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Its capital is Salem, and its largest city is Portland.

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Discover More

Before the coming of the railroads, the Oregon Trail was used as an overland emigration route from the Missouri River to the Columbia River country (all of which was then called Oregon).

Other Word Forms

• Oregonian
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Oregon

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Oregon

A National Interagency Fire Center prediction map showed the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming at particularly elevated risk.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

The lupines have reappeared within the last 15 years, migrating from Oregon and forming new packs, largely clustered in the northeastern portion of California.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Hawaii and Oregon have laws that allow for the forfeiture of an animal during a criminal case, according to the bill’s backers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Over the past decade, Oregon lawmakers doubled funding for the state’s affordable housing tax credit and started offering low-interest and deferred loans for construction.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

Amiko-Gabriel Blue, a resident of Ashland, Oregon, goes to court to legally change their gender to “neutral.”

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater