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.

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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)

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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.

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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

Derived Forms

• West Virginian
  adjective

Example Sentences

At 6-foot-7, Jim Justice, 75, was a larger-than-life figure in West Virginia long before becoming governor and then senator.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

The Department of Energy will grant a further $200m to build new coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia, the first new plants in the US since 2013.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

West Virginia resident Rebecca Michalski struggles with soaring electricity bills that exceed her income.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

In a lot behind a disused West Virginia gas station at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, Roy Funkhouser is surrounded by about a dozen beekeepers and countless buzzing bees.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

“You studied at West Virginia University?” she asked incredulously.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson