Definitions for Illinois
ˌɪl əˈnɔɪ; sometimes -ˈnɔɪzIlli·nois

Princeton's WordNet(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Illinois, Prairie State, Land of Lincoln, ILnoun

   a midwestern state in north-central United States

2. Illinoisnoun

   a member of the Algonquian people formerly of Illinois and regions to the west

3. Illinoisnoun

   the Algonquian language of the Illinois and Miami

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Illinoisnoun

   Any of a tribe of Native Americans who formerly occupied the region between the Wabash and Mississippi rivers.

   Etymology: From adaptation of ilenweewa, meaning "they speak normally."

2. Illinoisadjective

   Of or relating to the .

   Etymology: From adaptation of ilenweewa, meaning "they speak normally."

3. Illinoisnoun

   A Capital: Springfield. Largest city: Chicago.

   Etymology: From adaptation of ilenweewa, meaning "they speak normally."

Webster Dictionary(3.37 / 8 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Illinois

   a tribe of North American Indians, which formerly occupied the region between the Wabash and Mississippi rivers

Freebase(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Illinois

   Illinois is a state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 5th most populous and 25th most extensive state, and is often noted as a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal, timber, and petroleum in the south, Illinois has a diverse economic base and is a major transportation hub. The Port of Chicago connects the state to other global ports from the Great Lakes, via the Saint Lawrence Seaway, to the Atlantic Ocean; as well as the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, via the Illinois River. For decades, O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the world's busiest airports. Illinois has long had a reputation as a bellwether both in social and cultural terms and politics. Although today the state's largest population center is around Chicago originally the state's European population grew first in the west, with French Canadians who settled along the Mississippi River. After the American Revolutionary War established the United States, American settlers began arriving from Kentucky in the 1810s via the Ohio River, and the population grew from south to north. In 1818, Illinois achieved statehood. After construction of the Erie Canal increased traffic and trade through the Great Lakes, Chicago was founded in the 1830s on the banks of the Chicago River, at one of the few natural harbors on southern Lake Michigan. John Deere's invention of the self-scouring steel plow turned Illinois' rich prairie into some of the world's most productive and valuable farmlands, attracting immigrant farmers from Germany and Sweden. Railroads carried immigrants to new homes, as well as being used to ship their commodity crops out to markets.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Illinois

   an American State as large as England and Wales; has the Mississippi for its western, the Ohio for its southern boundary, with Wisconsin and Lake Michigan in the N. and Indiana on the E.; fourth in population, seventeenth in area; "the Prairie State" is level, well watered, and extremely fertile; has a climate subject to extremes, but, except in the swamps, healthy. It produces enormous quantities of wheat, besides other cereals, of tobacco and temperate fruits. Flour-milling, pork-packing, and distilling are the chief industries. The most extensive coal-deposits in America are in this State; with navigable rivers on its borders, and traversing it Lake Michigan, a great canal, and the largest railway system in the Union, it is admirably situated for commercial development; originally acquired by Britain from the French, who entered it from Canada; it was ceded to the Americans in 1783, and admitted to the Union 1818; the State spends $12,000,000 annually on education, which is compulsory, and has a large and wealthy scientific and agricultural university at Urbana. Springfield (25) is the capital; but Chicago (1,100) is the largest city.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. illinois

   One of the Central States of the United States, in the valley of the Upper Mississippi, and one of the most fertile in the Union, having scarcely any soil which is uncultivable. It was originally settled by the French, but fell into the hands of the English in 1763, becoming the property of the United States at the Revolution. It was organized as a State December 3, 1818, and during the civil war was a staunch supporter of the Union.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. illinois

   Song lyrics by illinois -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by illinois on the Lyrics.com website.

Etymology and Origins(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Illinois

   The Indian illini, men, with the French suffix oix, a tribe.

Matched Categories

1. • Algonquian
   • American State
   • United States

How to pronounce Illinois?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Illinois in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Illinois in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Illinois in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of Illinois in a Sentence

1. Alan Gottlieb:

   One would think the state would have wised up by now, but here we are again, to make sure that the state cannot discriminate against foster parents who merely wish to exercise the rights we’ve restored in Illinois.

2. Martin Malin:

   I would not plan on vacationing in a state park [in Illinois] this summer.

3. Rick Scott:

   The people that left New York and Illinois had one thing in common, their number-one destination was Florida.

4. Rodney Davis:

   I'm proud of my record of working with the President, while here in Congress on passing the Trump tax cuts. And I was proud to work with him not just governmentally, but be at many different events and rallies in DC, and outside of DC in my home state of Illinois, to really tout our successes together, so I certainly hope to get his support in my next campaign.

5. David Camic:

   He got the best disposition that was available given the constraints of Illinois law.

Images & Illustrations of Illinois

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