canada

canada — noun

1. Canada is a very large country in the northern part of North America. It has hug

1.nounA1
Definition

Canada is a very large country in the northern part of North America. It has huge forests, thousands of lakes, and cities full of people from many different cultures.

Example

Leila moved to Canada last winter to study nursing at a college in Vancouver.

move to Canada + purpose (to study)

When forest fires threatened a town in British Columbia, the provincial government sent help right away.

provincial government + disaster response

Common collocations
  • across Canada
  • throughout Canada
  • in Canada
  • from Canada
  • to Canada

Grammar Patterns

Canada + verb

in Canada

from Canada

to Canada

Usage Note

Canada is always used with a singular verb, even though it refers to a collection of provinces and territories.

Common Mistakes

Canadas government passed a new law.
Canada's government passed a new law.
the possessive form is Canada's (singular), not Canadas.

Word family

Etymology

St. Lawrence IroquoianFrenchEnglish

The name Canada comes from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word 'kanata', meaning 'village' or 'settlement'. When French explorer Jacques Cartier heard the word from local Indigenous people in 1535, he used it to refer to the entire area under Chief Donnacona's control. Over time, the name was applied to a much larger territory beyond the original village near present-day Quebec City.