Delaware

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, known for its rich history and being the first state to ratify the Constitution
2. The second smallest state in America, recognized for its diverse culture and role in the nation's early development
3. A state situated on the eastern seaboard of the US, notable for its historical significance and as the initial state to join the Union

Etymology: The name traces back to a colonial governor rather than to any native word. Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618), was an English nobleman who served as governor of the Virginia colony, and the river that flows past Philadelphia and into Delaware Bay was named in his honor. The name of the bay and river was then extended to the Native peoples who lived along them, who came to be called the Lenape-speaking Delaware or Lenni Lenape, and the name was later carried over to the state. Because the river was named after a person, the state's name is essentially a title. "De La Warr" was a family name that referred to the lordship of De La Warr, a title tied to a place in Sussex, and the English form "Delaware" is a worn-down version of that noble title. So a state famous for its early role in American independence carries the name of a man who held a feudal title in England and governed an earlier English settlement in Virginia.