Word
washington
Phoneticswash·ing·ton, stress on the first syllable
/ˈwɑʃɪŋtən/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the capital city of the United States. People also use this name to talk about the American government or its leaders.
n. the federal capital of the United States of America. Metonymically used to refer to the U.S. federal government or its executive and legislative branches.
Examples
“The president lives and works in Washington.”
“Washington announced a new trade policy today that will affect several international partners.”
“While the city itself is home to diverse neighborhoods, the name Washington is frequently used in political journalism to represent the collective decisions of the federal administration.”
Examples
simple
“The president lives and works in Washington.”
contextual
“Washington announced a new trade policy today that will affect several international partners.”
complex
“While the city itself is home to diverse neighborhoods, the name Washington is frequently used in political journalism to represent the collective decisions of the federal administration.”
Usage
When used as a metonym for the government, it functions as a singular noun.
Etymology
Washington (the town in Tyne and Wear, northeast England): probably from the Old English place name Hwæssingatūn (literally “a settlement of the household of Hwæssa”), from Hwæssa (a Saxon chieftain's name) + -ing (“belonging to”) + tūn (“homestead, settlement”). It was attested in 1096 as Wasindone. Hwæssa is of uncertain origin, said to possibly correspond to waþ (“hunt”) + sige (“victory”), or possibly related to hwæte (“wheat”). There are other theories; more on Wikipedia. The surname derives from the town, and most places in the United States are named for George Washington.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/washington