Carolina

American  

[kar-uh-lahy-nuh, kah-raw-lee-nah] / ˌkær əˈlaɪ nə, ˌkɑ rɔˈli nɑ /

noun

1. a former English colony on the Atlantic coast of North America: officially divided into North Carolina and South Carolina in 1729.

2. North Carolina or South Carolina.

3. a city in northeast Puerto Rico, southeast of San Juan.

4. Also called the Carolinas.  North Carolina and South Carolina.

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Carolina British  

/ ˌkærəˈlaɪnə /

noun

1. a former English colony on the E coast of North America, first established in 1663: divided in 1729 into North and South Carolina, which are often referred to as the Carolinas

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Example Sentences

The first quarter got off to a bumpy start when January’s winter storm Fern hit its major operations hubs in Texas and North Carolina.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

So did Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Louisville and a host of other top-tier hoops programs.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Here, the latter instinct won out: No federal law prevents Hencely from suing Fluor under South Carolina law, and courts should not dream one up based on their subjective sense that it’s a good idea.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026

Since then, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Utah have successfully voted to change their districts.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026

It must be some special kind of North Carolina tag.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn