canada

IPA/ˈkæn.ə.də/
KK[kˈænədə]IPA/ˈkæn.ə.də/

canada — noun

1. a country that occupies most of the northern part of the North American continen

1.nounA1
Definition

a country that occupies most of the northern part of the North American continent, with coastlines on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans.

Example

Elena moved to Canada last year to study at a university in Toronto.

preposition: to Canada (destination)

Maple syrup is one of the most famous products from Canada.

preposition: from Canada (origin)

Common collocations
  • move to Canada
  • visit Canada
  • live in Canada
  • travel to Canada
  • come from Canada

Grammar Patterns

[proper noun] as a place

the + noun (rare)

Usage Note

Canada is a proper noun and is not usually preceded by 'the', except in phrases describing specific regions such as 'the north of Canada' or 'the government of Canada.'

Common Mistakes

I visited the Canada last summer.
I visited Canada last summer.
country names do not take 'the' except in special cases.
Canada's capital is Toronto.
Canada's capital is Ottawa.
Ottawa, not Toronto, is the national capital.

2. the land, people, and political system of this nation, which has a federal struc

2.nounA2
Definition

the land, people, and political system of this nation, which has a federal structure of ten provinces and three territories and is a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth.

Example

Canada has ten provinces and three territories, each with its own local government.

collocation: provinces and territories of Canada

Mathieu read a report about Canada's healthcare system and how hospitals are funded.

possessive: Canada's + noun

Common collocations
  • Canada's economy
  • Canada's government
  • the people of Canada
  • the history of Canada
  • the border of Canada
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

[proper noun] + possessive

the + noun + of Canada

Usage Note

When referring to the government or institutions, use 'Canada's' as a possessive (e.g., 'Canada's parliament'). The preposition 'of' is also common: 'the government of Canada', 'the people of Canada.'

Common Mistakes

Canada government passed a new law.
Canada's government passed a new law.' or 'The government of Canada passed a new law.
use the possessive or 'of' to show the relationship.

Word family

  • Canadian
    adjectiveA2
  • Canadian
    nounA2
  • Canuck
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words can refer to Canada, but each has a distinct focus. 'Country' is the most general term, emphasising the physical territory and the people who live there ('Canada is a large country'). 'Nation' highlights the cultural and political identity shared by the people ('the Canadian nation includes Indigenous, French, and English communities'). 'State' is more formal and legal, often used when talking about the government and its institutions ('the Canadian state provides universal healthcare'). 'Land' is more poetic and emotional, often used in patriotic contexts ('the land of Canada stretches from sea to sea'). In everyday speech, 'country' is the safest choice for learners.

countrynationstateland

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the people of Canada
  • the government of Canada
  • the history of Canada
  • the border of Canada
  • the provinces of Canada

Phrases

  • across Canada
  • all over Canada
  • parts of Canada

Prepositions

  • in Canada
  • to Canada
  • from Canada
  • across Canada
  • throughout Canada

Etymology

Saint-Lawrence IroquoianFrenchEnglish

The name 'Canada' comes from 'kanata', a word in the Saint-Lawrence Iroquoian language meaning 'village' or 'settlement.' When French explorer Jacques Cartier heard the word from local guides in the 1530s, he used it to refer to the entire region under the chief of Stadacona (near present-day Quebec City). By the 1600s, European maps labelled the whole area north of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River as 'Canada.' The name was officially adopted when the Dominion of Canada was formed in 1867.