washington

washington — noun

1. the US capital city, situated on the Potomac River along the border of Maryland

1.nounA2
Definition

the US capital city, situated on the Potomac River along the border of Maryland and Virginia and covering the same land area as the District of Columbia. This is where the US federal government is based, including the White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court.

Example

Diya flew to Washington to tour the White House and the Lincoln Memorial.

verb phrase: flew to Washington (movement to a place)

The cherry blossom trees in Washington draw thousands of visitors each spring.

subject: the cherry blossom trees (inanimate subject)

Common collocations
  • in Washington
  • Washington-based
  • move to Washington
  • Washington insider
  • Washington politician
Synonyms

Usage Note

Add 'D.C.' to distinguish this referent from Washington state in contexts where confusion is possible. In Taiwan, 華盛頓特區 or 華盛頓哥倫比亞特區 is used formally, while 華盛頓 alone often implies D.C.

Common Mistakes

I moved to Washington state to study political science at Georgetown.
I moved to Washington, D.C. to study political science at Georgetown.
Georgetown University is in Washington, D.C., not Washington state.
Washington is known for its apple orchards.
Washington state is known for its apple orchards.
Apple production is associated with Washington state, not Washington, D.C.

2. a US state in the Pacific Northwest region, with the Pacific Ocean on its wester

2.nounA2
Definition

a US state in the Pacific Northwest region, with the Pacific Ocean on its western side and the Canadian province of British Columbia to its north. Its biggest city is Seattle, and Olympia is the capital. The state is famous for its dense evergreen forests, coffee culture, and technology companies.

Example

Rania moved to Washington state to work at a software company near Seattle.

clarifying phrase: Washington state (disambiguation marker)

The ferry from Washington to Vancouver Island crosses the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

prepositional phrase: from Washington to Vancouver Island

Common collocations
  • Washington state
  • from Washington
  • in Washington
  • Washington-grown
  • Washington-based company
Synonyms
  • Washington state

    explicit disambiguation from D.C.; required in many contexts

  • the Evergreen State

    official nickname; used in tourism and local pride contexts

  • WA

    US postal abbreviation; used in addresses and data entry

Usage Note

Always include 'state' (Washington state) when the context could also refer to Washington, D.C. Postal abbreviation is WA. The state's nickname is 'the Evergreen State.'

Common Mistakes

The headquarters is in Washington, D.C. state.
The headquarters is in Washington state.
Washington, D.C. is not a state; it is a federal district.
Washington was the 42nd state to join the Union.
Washington became the 42nd state in 1889.
Use 'became' or 'joined' rather than 'was the Xth state.'

washington — noun

1. Booker Taliaferro Washington (1856–1915), an American educator, author, and acti

1.nounB2
Definition

Booker Taliaferro Washington (1856–1915), an American educator, author, and activist who was born into slavery and later became a prominent leader in the African-American community. He founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama and advocated for vocational education and economic self-reliance.

Example

In a Tuskegee workshop, Booker T. Washington showed students how to lay bricks for a new dormitory.

prepositional phrase + concrete action: In a Tuskegee workshop, showed students how to lay bricks

Kevin read an excerpt from Washington's autobiography, Up from Slavery, for his history class.

Common collocations
  • founded Tuskegee Institute
  • Atlanta Compromise
  • vocational education
  • Washington's autobiography
  • Up from Slavery
Synonyms

Usage Note

Distinguish from George Washington. In historical writing about education and civil rights, 'Washington' alone almost always refers to Booker T. Washington. Not to be confused with other African-American leaders of the same era such as W.E.B. Du Bois, who disagreed with Washington's approach.

Common Mistakes

Booker T. Washington was the first US president.
Booker T. Washington was an educator and founder of the Tuskegee Institute.
He is often confused with George Washington.
Washington wrote the Atlanta Compromise in the 1960s.
Washington delivered the Atlanta Compromise speech in 1895.
His active period was the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

2. George Washington (1732–1799), an American military officer, statesman, and Foun

2.nounB1
Definition

George Washington (1732–1799), an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. He was the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and presided over the convention that drafted the US Constitution.

Example

George Washington led the Continental Army through the harsh winter at Valley Forge in 1777.

past tense action clause with temporal context

Hyun's class visited Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate where Washington lived with his family.

Common collocations
  • first president
  • Continental Army
  • American Revolution
  • Mount Vernon
  • Valley Forge
  • Founding Father
Synonyms

Usage Note

When historical context makes the referent clear, 'Washington' alone is standard. To distinguish from Booker T. Washington, include 'George' or the title 'President Washington.' Washington's image appears on the one-dollar bill and the US quarter coin.

Common Mistakes

George Washington freed all his slaves during his lifetime.
George Washington's will freed his slaves after his death.
He did not free them while he was alive.
Washington was president in the 1800s.
Washington was president from 1789 to 1797, in the late 1700s.
His presidency was entirely within the 18th century.

Word family

  • Washingtonian
    nounB2
  • Washingtonian
    adjectiveB2
  • Washington-based
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Washington, D.C. is the most common and preferred form when the context involves US politics or government, as it clearly distinguishes the city from Washington state. 'The District of Columbia' (or simply 'the District') is the official legal name and appears in formal documents, court rulings, and federal legislation — it refers to the federal territory itself rather than the urban area. In everyday speech, 'the capital' is a generic alternative that works when the country is already clear from the context (e.g., 'I'm heading to the capital for a conference'). Use 'Washington, D.C.' in most writing; reserve 'the District of Columbia' for legal or administrative contexts; use 'the capital' for casual reference within a US context.

Washington, D.C.the District of Columbiathe capital

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Washington insider
  • Washington politician
  • Washington bureaucracy
  • Washington state
  • Washington apple
  • Washington coastline

Phrases

  • Washington-based
  • Washington-bound
  • out of Washington

Prepositions

  • in Washington
  • to Washington
  • from Washington
  • near Washington

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

The name Washington comes from the surname of George Washington, the first US president. The surname itself originated from an English place name in County Durham, England, combining the Old English elements 'Wassa' (a personal name) and 'ing' (meaning 'people of') plus 'tūn' (meaning 'settlement' or 'enclosure'). The capital city and the state were both named in his honor after the American Revolution.