West Virginia

American  

noun

1. a state in the eastern United States. 24,181 sq. mi. (62,629 sq. km). Charleston. WV (for use with zip code), W.Va.

---

West Virginia British  

noun

1. Abbreviation: W Va.   W. Va..   WV.  a state of the eastern US: part of Virginia until the outbreak of the American Civil War (1861); consists chiefly of the Allegheny Plateau; bounded on the west by the Ohio River; coal-mining. Capital: Charleston. Pop: 1 810 354 (2003 est). Area: 62 341 sq km (24 070 sq miles)

---

West Virginia Cultural  

1. State in the southeastern United States bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland to the north, Virginia to the east and south, and Kentucky and Ohio to the west. Its capital and largest city is Charleston.

---

Discover More

Ranks first in bituminous coal production, with about twenty percent of the nation's total.

Separated from Virginia after Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861; it was granted statehood in 1863, during the Civil War.

Other Word Forms

• West Virginian
  adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

West Virginia

That was in 2021, just after West Virginia passed its law and she was about to enter sixth grade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

B.P.J. was a transgender student in the West Virginia public school system.

From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026

West Virginia offers a compelling example of a state that is succeeding in attracting data-center investment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

Some states, including Florida, Texas, Michigan, Vermont and West Virginia, also utilize deeds known as ladybird deeds or enhanced life-estate deeds, which automatically remove a home from probate and exempt it from Medicaid estate recovery.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026

While the Methodists cast around for someone willing to come and serve in the wilds of West Virginia, the Coalwood Community Church, for the first time anyone could remember, was padlocked.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam