Nearby Words

cantons

[kan-tn, -ton, kan-ton for 1–7; kan-ton, -tohn, or, especially Brit., -toon for 8] Origin

can·ton

[kan-tn, -ton, kan-ton for 1–7; kan-ton, -tohn, or, especially Brit., -toon for 8]
noun
1.
a small territorial district, especially one of the states of the Swiss confederation.
2.
(in a department of France) a division of an arrondissement.
3.
Heraldry. a square area in the dexter chief, or right-hand corner, of an escutcheon, often distinctively treated: a diminutive of the dexter chief quarter.
4.
Architecture. a pilaster or similar feature projecting from the corner of a building.
5.
Obsolete. a division, part, or portion of anything.
verb (used with object)
6.
to divide into parts or portions.
7.
to divide into cantons or territorial districts.
8.
to allot quarters to (soldiers, troops, etc.).

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Cantons is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

Origin:
1525–35; < Middle French < Old Provençal, derivative of can side, edge (see cant2)

can·ton·al, adjective
can·ton·al·ism, noun
un·can·toned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged

Can·ton

[kan-ton, kan-ton for 1; kan-tn for 2–5]
noun
1.
Also called Kwangchow, Guangzhou, Kuangchou. Older Spelling. a seaport in and the capital of Guangdong province, in SE China, on the Zhu Jiang. 3,000,000.
2.
a city in NE Ohio: location of the football Hall of Fame. 94,730.
3.
a city in E Massachusetts. 18,182.
4.
a city in W central Illinois. 14,626.
5.
a town in central Mississippi. 11,116.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To cantons
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

canton
1520s, from M.Fr. canton, from It. (Lombard dialect) cantone "region," especially in the mountains, augmentive of L. canto "section of a country," lit. "corner" (see cant (2)). Originally in English a term in heraldry and flag descriptions; applied to the sovereign states of
EXPAND
the Swiss republic from 1610s.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature