fargo

IPA/ˈfɑː.ɡəʊ/
KK[fˈɑrɡˌo]IPA/ˈfɑːr.ɡoʊ/

fargo — noun

1. a medium-sized city located in eastern North Dakota, built on the banks of the R

1.nountransitiveB1
Definition

a medium-sized city located in eastern North Dakota, built on the banks of the Red River and serving as an important centre for farming and transport.

Example

Lukas drove from Minneapolis to Fargo in about three and a half hours.

driving distance context for location reference

The winter temperatures in Fargo often drop below minus twenty degrees Celsius.

weather context typical for the region

Common collocations
  • in Fargo
  • near Fargo
  • to Fargo
  • from Fargo
  • Fargo is located…

Grammar Patterns

Fargo + is/was + complement

Usage Note

Fargo is a proper noun and is always capitalised. It takes a singular verb (e.g. 'Fargo is…'). The name is also widely known from the 1996 film 'Fargo', although the movie's story is mostly set in Minnesota, not North Dakota.

Common Mistakes

I went to Fargo city last summer.
I went to Fargo last summer.
When the name of the city is used, do not add 'city' after it.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Fargo is the largest city in North Dakota, but not its capital — that is Bismarck, which lies to the southwest along the Missouri River. Grand Forks is another North Dakota city on the Red River, about 120 km north of Fargo, while Minot is in the north-central part of the state. Fargo is the main economic and cultural hub of eastern North Dakota, known for its university and growing tech sector.

Fargo ↗BismarckMinotGrand Forks

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Fargo residents
  • Fargo airport
  • Fargo area
  • Fargo campus
  • downtown Fargo

Phrases

  • the city of Fargo
  • Fargo, North Dakota
  • based in Fargo

Prepositions

  • in Fargo
  • to Fargo
  • near Fargo
  • from Fargo
  • outside Fargo

Etymology

ItalianEnglish

The city was founded in 1871 and named after William George Fargo (1818–1881), a co-founder of the Wells Fargo express company. The surname Fargo is believed to have Italian origins, possibly connected to a place name in Sicily.