Illinois

noun

Il·​li·​nois ˌi-lə-ˈnȯi 

also

-ˈnȯiz 

plural Illinois

1

: a confederation of Algonquian-speaking Indigenous peoples of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin

2

: a member of any of the Illinois peoples

3

: the Algonquian language of the Illinois

Word History

Etymology

French, earlier Eriniouai, singular, probably from a word in an Algonquian language derived from Proto-Algonquian *elen- ordinary + *-we· make a sound

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Geographical Definition

Illinois

geographical name

Il·​li·​nois

ˌi-lə-ˈnȯi,

also

-ˈnȯiz 

1

river 273 miles (439 kilometers) long in Illinois flowing southwest into the Mississippi River

2

state in the central part of the U.S. having the Mississippi River as its western boundary and bordering on Lake Michigan in the northeast; capital Springfield area 56,400 square miles (146,640 square kilometers), population 12,830,632

Illinoisan

ˌi-lə-ˈnȯi-ən

also

-ˈnȯi-zᵊn 

adjective or noun