Word of the Day

: August 2, 2023

contiguous

adjective kun-TIG-yuh-wus

What It Means

Contiguous is a formal word used to describe things that touch each other or are immediately next to each other in time or sequence.

// She's visited each of the 48 contiguous states in the U.S., but she hasn't been to Alaska or Hawaii yet.

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contiguous in Context

"The City of Milwaukee defines Havenwoods as a small rectangle on the northwest side surrounding the state forest. Its northern and eastern borders are contiguous with the forest and it is bounded by 60th Street and Silver Spring Drive on the south and west." —Daphne Chen, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9 May 2023

Did You Know?

Time to get a little closer with contiguous, a word likely most familiar in the phrase "contiguous United States." Otherwise known as the conterminous United States, this region comprises the collective states within the U.S. that connect geographically by shared borders, as well as the nation's capital. Looking for a word to describe freestanding states like Hawaii and Alaska, or seabound territories along the lines of Guam and American Samoa? Today’s word has a direct antonym: noncontiguous. Both come from the Latin verb contingere, meaning "to be in contact with."