California
Americannoun
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a state in the western United States, on the Pacific coast. 158,693 square miles (411,015 square kilometers). Sacramento. CA (for use with zip code), Cal., Calif.
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Gulf of California, an arm of the Pacific Ocean, extending northwest between the coast of western Mexico and the peninsula of Baja California. About 750 miles (1,207 kilometers) long; 62,600 square miles (162,100 square kilometers).
noun
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Abbreviation: Cal.. Calif.. CA. a state on the W coast of the US: the third largest state in area and the largest in population; consists of a narrow, warm coastal plain rising to the Coast Range, deserts in the south, the fertile central valleys of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in the east; major industries include the growing of citrus fruits and grapes, fishing, oil production, electronics, information technology, and films. Capital: Sacramento. Pop: 35 484 453 (2003 est). Area: 411 015 sq km (158 693 sq miles)
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an arm of the Pacific Ocean, between Sonora and Lower California
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The state is famous for all the fads and ideas that originate there, many of which are considered strange or eccentric.
California is the most populous state. It is known for its earthquakes, high-tech (see also high-tech) industries (see Silicon Valley), and agriculture.
During the California gold rush tens of thousands of people poured into California in search of gold. It is sometimes called the “Golden State.” (See forty-niners.)
Other Word Forms
- Californian adjective
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The pair relocated to California, where they started a family.
Under California law, police agencies are required to adopt detailed usage and privacy policies governing license plate data, restrict access to authorized purposes, and regularly audit searches to prevent misuse.
From Los Angeles Times
Now the Trailblazers can get ready to be the No. 1 seed in the Southern California Open Division regional playoffs, with an opportunity to advance to the state championship game in Sacramento in two weeks.
From Los Angeles Times
By 2019, more than half of Iranian immigrants to the U.S. lived in California, with 29% — nearly 140,000 people — living in Los Angeles County alone, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
From Los Angeles Times
Cheryl Norris, a 76-year-old who works as an independent antique dealer, has owned a pair of homes in Northern California for decades.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
