Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • A state of the eastern United States on Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. One of the original Thirteen Colonies, it was the site of unsuccessful early colonizing attempts (1584–1587) by Sir Walter Raleigh, but in 1607 colonists dispatched by the London Company established the first permanent settlement at Jamestown (May 13). Virginia was a prime force in the move for independence and was the site of Lord Cornwallis's surrender in 1781. Virginia ratified the United States Constitution in 1788. It was the scene of many major battles during the Civil War, including the final campaigns that led to the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Richmond is the capital.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A favorite commercial brand of tobacco, grown and manufactured in Virginia.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One of the States of the United States of America.
  • noun (Bot.) the American lungwort (Mertensia Virginica).
  • noun (Bot.), [U. S.] a common ornamental North American woody vine (Ampelopsis quinquefolia), climbing extensively by means of tendrils; -- called also woodbine, and American ivy.
  • noun See Worm fence, under Fence.
  • noun (Zoöl.) the cardinal bird. See under Cardinal.
  • noun (Zoöl.) the bobwhite.
  • noun an old English contradance; -- so called in the United States.
  • noun (Bot.) See Mahon stock.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun A state of the United States of America. Capital: Richmond. Largest city: Virginia Beach.
  • proper noun A female given name.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun one of the British colonies that formed the United States
  • noun a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War
  • noun a town in northeastern Minnesota in the heart of the Mesabi Range

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin Virginia, feminine form of Virginius or Verginius, a Roman family name, possibly identical with Vergilius. The state was named for Elizabeth I as the Virgin Queen.

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Examples

  • It seems that the virginia polls in the state house and the governor want this, so as he is the senator for Virginia, he is doing what his state wants.

    GOP Rep. Pushing Wacky Tall Tale About Commies Drilling For Oil Off American Shores 2009

  • HEIDI, CALLER FROM VIRGINIA: Hi, my name is Heidi and I ` m from Virginia from the area that Chris Brown is from.

    CNN Transcript Mar 6, 2009 2009

  • TIM FREILICH, VIRGINIA JUSTICE CENTER FOR FARM AND IMMIGRATION WORKERS: Using limited Virginia law enforcement resources to enforce a broken system, I think, leaves all Virginians less safe and less secure.

    CNN Transcript Sep 29, 2007 2007

  • TIM FREILICH, VIRGINIA JUSTICE CENTER FOR FARM AND IMMIGRATION WORKERS: Using limited Virginia law enforcement resources to enforce a broken system, I think, leaves all Virginians less safe and less secure.

    CNN Transcript Sep 26, 2007 2007

  • TIM FREILICH, VIRGINIA JUSTICE CENTER FOR FARM AND IMMIGRATION WORKERS: Using limited Virginia law enforcement resources to enforce a broken system, I think, leaves all Virginians less safe and less secure.

    CNN Transcript Sep 30, 2007 2007

  • DONALD MCEACHIN, VIRGINIA STATE HOUSE: I can't think of a better time for Virginia to apologize for -- and to attune for the sins of slavery, than now during this 400th anniversary.

    CNN Transcript Jan 20, 2007 2007

  • BOB MCDONNELL, VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, Wolf, you're correct, this is a very dark day in Virginia history.

    CNN Transcript Apr 16, 2007 2007

  • Incidentally, Thomas Jefferson in his list of plants native to Virginia, as published in his _Notes on the State of Virginia_, which was written in 1781, and published in 1782, in 1784-1785, and in 1787, lists among other plants the "Hazelnut (_Corylus Avellana_)", which apparently should have been called _Corylus americana_ Walters.

    Northern Nut Growers Association Incorporated 39th Annual Report at Norris, Tenn. September 13-15 1948

  • BY THE VIRGINIA COMPANY (1619) IT is asked what land the children are to have in return for their going over to Virginia.

    Colonial Children 1902

  • Virginia Company_ (1868), _Virginia Carolorum_ (1886), _Virginia

    England in America, 1580-1652 Lyon Gardiner Tyler 1894

Comments

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  • Like Arizona, a snake genus.

    August 24, 2010

  • For a list of the names of counties in Virginia, see this list by chained_bear.

    May 17, 2011