# Madison

/ˈmædəsən/ (US)

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

## Senses

### 1. a person's name

noun · CEFR A1

a common first name for girls and boys, or a last name.

For teachers: a given name of English origin, historically a surname, which gained significant popularity as a feminine given name in the late 20th century.

- Madison is the new student in our history class this semester.
- The registrar noted that Madison had become one of the most frequently recorded given names for girls in the region over the last decade.

### 2. a city or place

noun · CEFR A2

the name of several places in the U.S., most notably the capital city of Wisconsin.

For teachers: a toponym referring to various locations in the United States, most prominently the capital of Wisconsin, typically named after James Madison.

- We are driving to Madison this weekend to visit the state capitol building.
- Madison serves as a major hub for education and government, housing both the state legislature and the flagship university campus.

### 3. James Madison

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the fourth president of the United States and one of the country's founders.

For teachers: refers to James Madison (1751–1836), the fourth U.S. president and a primary architect of the U.S. Constitution.

- In history class, we learned how Madison helped write the Constitution.
- Scholars often debate the extent of Madison's influence on the Federalist Papers compared to that of Alexander Hamilton.

### 4. cycling event

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a type of team race in track cycling where riders take turns.

For teachers: a relay event in track cycling where teammates exchange places by touching or pushing one another while at high speed.

- The crowd cheered as the riders completed a fast exchange during the madison.
- The madison requires exceptional coordination and timing, as the relief rider must match the speed of their teammate before the hand-sling exchange.

### 5. a line dance

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a popular group dance from the late 1950s and early 1960s.

For teachers: a novelty line dance that originated in the late 1950s, characterised by a series of called steps.

- The wedding band played an old song and everyone started doing the madison.
- The madison was a staple of early 1960s youth culture, often featured on televised dance programmes of the era.

## Examples

- Madison is a beautiful city with many lakes.
- After graduating from the university, she decided to stay in Madison to start her career in state government.
- The city of Madison is situated on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, a geographic feature that defines much of its urban layout and local climate.

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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.