colorado

¹

[ kol-uh-rad-oh, -rah-doh ]

adjective

1. (of cigars) of medium color and strength.

Colorado

²

[ kol-uh-rad-oh, -rah-doh; Spanish kaw-law-rah-thaw ]

noun

1. a state in the western United States. 104,247 sq. mi. (270,000 sq. km). : Denver. : CO (for use with zip code), Col., Colo.
2. a river flowing southwest from northern Colorado through Utah and Arizona into the Gulf of California: Grand Canyon; Boulder Dam. 1,450 miles (2,335 km) long.
3. a river flowing southeast from western Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. 840 miles (1,350 km) long.
4. Rí·o Col·o·ra·do [ree, -aw kaw-law-, rah, -, th, aw], a river in central Argentina, flowing southeast from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean. 530 miles (853 km) long.

Colorado

/ ˌkɒləˈrɑːdəʊ /

noun

1. a state of the central US: consists of the Great Plains in the east and the Rockies in the west; drained chiefly by the Colorado, Arkansas, South Platte, and Rio Grande Rivers. Capital: Denver. Pop: 4 550 688 (2003 est). Area: 269 998 sq km (104 247 sq miles) AbbreviationColo.with zip codeCO
2. a river in SW North America, rising in the Rocky Mountains and flowing southwest to the Gulf of California: famous for the 1600 km (1000 miles) of canyons along its course. Length: about 2320 km (1440 miles)
3. a river in central Texas, flowing southeast to the Gulf of Mexico. Length: about 1450 km (900 miles)
4. a river in central Argentina, flowing southeast to the Atlantic. Length: about 850 km (530 miles)

Colorado

1. State in the west-central United States in the Rocky Mountains , bordered by Wyoming and Nebraska to the north, Nebraska and Kansas to the east, Oklahoma and New Mexico to the south, and Utah to the west. Its capital and largest city is Denver .

Other Words From

• Col·o·rad·an Col·o·rad·o·an adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of colorado¹

< Spanish < Latin colōrātus colored. See color, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of colorado¹

Spanish, literally: red, from Latin colōrātus coloured, tinted red; see colour

Example Sentences

“Federal law requires the Colorado River Basin’s reservoirs be managed in accordance with the Colorado River Compact — the most significant component of which is mandatory deliveries of water from the Upper Basin to the Lower Basin and Mexico,” said J.B.

From Los Angeles Times

Imperial Valley farmers left fields dry temporarily to help ease the Colorado River’s shortage.

From Los Angeles Times

The disputes have pitted the three states in the river’s lower basin — California, Arizona and Nevada — against the four upper basin states — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico.

From Los Angeles Times

The Colorado River provides water for cities from Denver to San Diego, tribal communities and farmlands across seven states and northern Mexico.

From Los Angeles Times

California, which uses more Colorado River water than any other state, responded with caution and cited the 1922 Colorado River Compact, which allocated the river’s water among the states and established the legal framework that continues to govern river management today.

From Los Angeles Times