# Indiana

/ˌɪndiˈænə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/indiana
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. US state

noun · CEFR B1

a state in the Midwestern United States.

For teachers: A landlocked state in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Lake Michigan, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois.

- Many people drive through Indiana when traveling from Chicago to the East Coast.
- The economy of Indiana has historically relied on a combination of heavy manufacturing and large-scale agricultural production.

### 2. university

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Informal

a short way to say Indiana University.

For teachers: A common ellipsis for Indiana University, typically referring to its main campus in Bloomington or its athletic teams.

- She decided to go to Indiana because they have a great music school.
- After graduating from Indiana, he moved to Indianapolis to begin his career in state government.

### 3. given name

noun · CEFR B2

a first name for a person, though it is not very common.

For teachers: A unisex given name, occasionally used in English-speaking countries, famously associated with the fictional character Indiana Jones.

- The archaeologist in the movie was named Indiana, but his friends called him Indy.
- While Indiana remains a rare choice for a first name, its popularity saw a slight increase following the success of the adventure film franchise.

## Examples

- He grew up on a small farm in Indiana.
- Many people travel to Indiana every May to watch the famous automobile race in the capital city.
- The economic landscape of Indiana has shifted significantly over the last century, moving from a primarily agrarian society to one with a robust manufacturing and life sciences sector.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.