Pennsylvania

American  

[pen-suhl-veyn-yuh, -vey-nee-uh] / ˌpɛn səlˈveɪn yə, -ˈveɪ ni ə /

noun

1. a state in the eastern United States. 45,333 sq. mi. (117,410 sq. km). Harrisburg. PA (for use with zip code), Pa., Penn., Penna.

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Pennsylvania British  

/ ˌpɛnsɪlˈveɪnɪə /

noun

1. Abbreviation: Pa.   Penn.   Penna.   PA.  a state of the northeastern US: almost wholly in the Appalachians, with the Allegheny Plateau to the west and a plain in the southeast; the second most important US state for manufacturing. Capital: Harrisburg. Pop: 12 365 455 (2003 est). Area: 116 462 sq km (44 956 sq miles)

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Pennsylvania Cultural  

1. State in the northeastern United States bordered by Lake Erie and New York to the north; New Jersey to the east; Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia to the south; and Ohio to the west. Its capital is Harrisburg, and its largest city is Philadelphia.

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Discover More

Named after the father of William Penn, a devout Quaker, who was granted proprietary rights by the king of England to almost the whole of what is now Pennsylvania in the late seventeenth century.

One of the thirteen colonies.

Example Sentences

He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

From The Wall Street Journal

“But he picked the wrong city — and he sure as hell picked the wrong commonwealth. We learn from our history in Pennsylvania, even when it’s painful.”

From Salon

Such freeze-offs happen every year, though usually in colder states, such as North Dakota, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

From The Wall Street Journal

His first head coaching gig came in 2011 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where his father, Frank Cignetti, played and then coached for 20 seasons.

From Los Angeles Times

Other Pennsylvania programs allow consumers with large balances to establish a monthly payment plan or to apply to repair broken radiators.

From Barron's