state

STAYT/steɪt/

Pluralstates

Verbstates, stating, stated

18 meanings of state

Practice

1
region (federation)nouncountable
One of the smaller regions that make up a country like the United States, keeping some of its own power.
Like one room in a big house, with its own rules but still part of the home.
Texas is a large state in the south of the country.
Each state has its own laws about driving.
UsageSay the state of California, with a small s.
Note
2
nouncountable
A country with its own government, or the government that runs it.
Like a club that makes the rules for everyone living inside its borders.
France is a powerful state in Europe.
The state provides schools and hospitals for its people.
UsageCountry is more common. The state often means the government.
Similarnation, country, government
Note
3
say clearlyverbtransitive
To tell people something so they know it.
Please state your reasons for leaving the job.
She stated her wishes to the whole group.
UsageA formal word for say: please state your name.
Similardeclare, announce, express, specify, indicate
Oppositeconceal, withhold
4
general conditionnouncountable
The condition something or someone is in at a certain time.
Like a photo that shows how something is at one moment.
The road was in a much better state after the repairs.
She was in a state of shock after the accident.
UsageSay in a state of shock, or the road is in a bad state.
Similarcondition, situation, status, shape, position
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5
adjective
Owned, run, or paid for by the government, like a state school or a state pension.
The speech was shown live on state television.
In many countries, older people get a state pension when they stop working.
UsagePut state before the naming word: a state school, state TV.
Similarpublic
Oppositeprivate

Less common meanings

6
form of matternouncountable
One of the forms that matter can take, like solid, liquid, or gas.
Like how water can be ice, liquid, or steam: the same stuff in different forms.
Water can change from one state to another when heated or cooled.
Ice is the solid state of water.
UsageSay state of matter: solid, liquid or gas.
Similarphase, form
Note
7
nouncolloquialcountable
A messy or bad condition that something or someone is in.
Like a room turned upside down with everything thrown around.
The kitchen was in a real state after the party.
She got into a state when she lost her keys.
UsageSay in a state or get into a state when upset or messy.
Similartrouble, situation, difficulty, predicament
Note
8
nouncountable
In science or computing, all the facts about a system or program at one moment.
Like a complete report card that lists every detail about something.
The game saves its state, so you can continue later.
Scientists wrote down the full state of the system before the test.
Note
9
pomp (occasions)noununcountable
Grand ceremony and dignity, or a rich and splendid way of living.
Like the grand show put on for a royal parade.
The queen arrived with great state and ceremony.
The queen rode to the palace in state, with guards on horseback.
UsageSay a leader's body lies in state.
Similarpomp, ceremony, splendor, grandeur, dignity
Oppositesimplicity, informality, austerity
Note
10
social ranknoununcountable
A person's rank, position, or condition in life.
And leſned by that ſmall, God I beſeech him, / Thy honor, ſtate, and ſeate, is due to me.
c. 1593, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third:”
Similarrank, station, status, standing, position
11
nounobsolete
A government or country that is not ruled by a king or queen.
Well monarchies may own religion’s name, / But ſtates are atheiſts in their very frame.
1662, John Dryden, “Satire on the Dutch”Here, states means republics, governments not ruled by a king.
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12
majesticadjectiveobsolete
Grand and dignified in a way that shows importance.
Note
13
nounobsolete
A great or powerful person, such as a lord or prince.
We in the name of other Perſean ſtates, And commons of this mightie Monarchy, Preſent thee with the Emperiall Diadem.
c. 1587, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. The First PartHere, states means great lords or important people.
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14
estatenounobsolete
Land, money, or goods that a person owns.
Your ’State, my Lord, again is yours.
c. 1619, Philip Massinger, Nathan FieldHere, State means estate, his property and lands.
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15
peaknounobsolete
The highest, steady point something reaches before it starts to fall, like the peak of an illness.
Note
16
adjective
Very formal and special, done by or for the leader of a country, like a visit or funeral.
The president's state visit to Japan lasted three days.
Thousands of people lined the streets for the state funeral.
UsageSay state visit or state funeral.
Similarceremonial
Oppositeprivate
Note
17
noun
A kind of verb meaning that describes something steady, with no change happening over time.
18
nounobsolete
A grand chair with a cloth cover above it, used as a seat of honor, or the cloth cover alone.

More uses

Statesthe United States

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of state apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Middle English stat, taken around 1200 from Old French estat and Latin status, meaning a way of standing or a position. It comes from Latin stāre, "to stand." The meaning "a country or polity" appeared in the 14th century.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

State comes from Middle English stat. en.wiktionary.org
The word was borrowed around 1200 from Old French estat and Latin status. en.wiktionary.org
Latin status meant a manner of standing or a position. en.wiktionary.org
The ultimate Latin source is stare, meaning to stand. en.wiktionary.org
The country or polity meaning developed in the fourteenth century. en.wiktionary.org