canton

canton — noun

1. a political division within certain countries that has its own local government

1.nounB2
Definition

a political division within certain countries that has its own local government and limited self-rule — the best-known example is the 26 cantons that make up Switzerland.

Example

Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons, each with its own parliament and laws.

divided into + number + cantons — typical counting pattern

The canton of Bern is the second-largest in Switzerland by population.

canton of + place name

Common collocations
  • Swiss canton
  • canton of Zurich
  • canton of Bern
  • canton borders
  • canton system
  • neighbouring canton
  • each canton
Synonyms
  • state

    a larger, more autonomous political region (e.g., US state, German Bundesland); cantons are generally smaller

  • province

    a similar administrative region, common in Canada and China; provinces are usually larger than cantons

  • region

    a more general term for any geographic area with defined borders, not necessarily self-governing

Grammar Patterns

a/the + canton

canton of + place name

Usage Note

In learner contexts, canton most often refers to the 26 Swiss cantons. The word is also used historically for administrative divisions in France (départements) and Quebec (township-like areas), but these uses are much rarer in everyday English.

Common Mistakes

France has 101 cantons today.
France was historically divided into cantons, but now uses departments (départements).
modern France does not use cantons as active administrative units.

2. the rectangular area located in the upper-left corner of a flag that has a colou

2.nounC1
Definition

the rectangular area located in the upper-left corner of a flag that has a colour or design unlike the main part of the flag cloth — for example, the blue square with white stars on the US flag.

Example

The canton of the American flag contains fifty white stars on a blue background.

canton of the + [country] flag — most common pattern

Many former British colonies kept the Union Jack in the canton of their flags after independence.

Common collocations
  • flag canton
  • Union Jack canton
  • blue canton
  • white stars on the canton
  • canton of the flag
Synonyms
  • upper hoist

    the technical heraldic term for the top-left corner of any flag or shield

  • top left quarter

    a plain-language alternative that avoids the technical term 'canton'

Antonyms
  • fly end

    the right side of a flag, opposite the canton

Grammar Patterns

the canton of a flag

flag with a canton

Usage Note

This is a technical term used mainly by flag enthusiasts (vexillologists) and in official flag descriptions. In everyday conversation, people say 'the top left corner of the flag' instead.

Word family

  • cantonment
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Canton, state, province and region all refer to territorial divisions within a country, but they differ in scale and autonomy. A canton is typically a small-to-medium administrative division with its own local government, most famously the 26 cantons of Switzerland. A state (like California or Bavaria) usually has greater autonomy, including its own constitution, legislature, and often representation in a federal upper house. A province (like Ontario or Sichuan) is generally a larger administrative region that may or may not have strong self-government. Region is the broadest term, often describing any geographic area with shared characteristics, from wine regions to planning districts. For example, you would say 'the canton of Bern has its own education system,' but 'the state of Texas sets its own speed limits,' and 'the province of Quebec uses French as its official language.'

canton ↗state ↗province ↗region ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • canton system
  • canton borders
  • canton government

Phrases

  • divided into cantons
  • canton of + place name

Prepositions

  • in a canton
  • of a canton
  • across cantons

Etymology

LatinItalianFrenchEnglish

Canton comes from Old French canton meaning 'corner' or 'district,' which in turn came from Italian cantone ('corner' or 'region'), based on Latin canthus ('iron tire of a wheel' — later extended to mean 'corner'). The political meaning developed because a 'corner' or 'district' of a country came to refer to a self-governing region. The flag sense also preserved the original 'corner' meaning, referring to the top left corner of a flag.