toronto

toronto — noun

1. The biggest city in Canada, where the Ontario provincial government is based and

1.nounA2
Definition

The biggest city in Canada, where the Ontario provincial government is based and which serves as the country's main economic and cultural hub.

Example

Tyler moved to Toronto from a small town to find better job opportunities.

proper noun used as destination: moved to Toronto

Toronto is home to the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario.

collocation: home to [cultural institution]

Common collocations
  • city of Toronto
  • downtown Toronto
  • based in Toronto
  • move to Toronto
  • live in Toronto

Usage Note

Toronto is a proper noun and typically used without an article, except in set phrases like 'the Toronto area' or 'the city of Toronto.'

toronto — proper noun

Word family

  • Torontonian
    nounB2
  • Torontonian
    adjectiveC1
  • GTA
    abbreviationB2

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • Greater Toronto Area
  • city of Toronto
  • downtown Toronto
  • Toronto Pearson International Airport
  • Toronto Islands

Prepositions

Etymology

Mohawk (Iroquoian)FrenchEnglish

The name Toronto comes from the Mohawk word 'tkaronto,' meaning 'where there are trees standing in the water.' Early French explorers used the name to refer to the Lake Simcoe region, and later it was applied to the settlement that grew into the modern city. The city was officially incorporated as Toronto in 1834.