What does "coterminous" mean?
Meeting end to end or at the ends.
Coterminous
/kəˈtɝ.mɪ.nəs/ adj
adj ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Meeting end to end or at the ends.
- Grammar: coterminous is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: accompanying, adjacent, adjoining, agreeing.
- Usage evidence: By far, most land owned by the federal government is in the American West. The feds own almost 47 percent of the 11 coterminous Western states, which include California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington State, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. The U.S. government owns a whopping 85 percent of land in the state of Nevada.
How to use "coterminous"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "coterminous" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "coterminous" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "coterminous" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "coterminous" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "coterminous" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accompanying" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "coterminous", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Meeting end to end or at the ends. not-comparable
- 2 Having matching boundaries; or, adjoining and sharing a boundary. not-comparable
"New York's borough of Brooklyn and Kings County are coterminous."
- 3 Having the same scope, range of meaning, or extent in time. broadly, not-comparable
"But it is purely fantastic unless we bear in mind that the governing class has been continually compelled to enlarge itself, and that its tendency is reluctantly to go on doing so until in the end it will be coterminous with the "governed class.""
- 4 Said of linked or related property leases that expire together. not-comparable
Adjective
- 1 being of equal extent or scope or duration wordnet
Example
"By far, most land owned by the federal government is in the American West. The feds own almost 47 percent of the 11 coterminous Western states, which include California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington State, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. The U.S. government owns a whopping 85 percent of land in the state of Nevada."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "coterminous"?
Common synonyms include: accompanying, adjacent, adjoining, agreeing, bordering, coequal.
How do you use "coterminous" in a sentence?
By far, most land owned by the federal government is in the American West. The feds own almost 47 percent of the 11 coterminous Western states, which include California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington State, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. The U.S. government owns a whopping 85 percent of land in the state of Nevada.
How do you pronounce "coterminous"?
Pronounced /kəˈtɝ.mɪ.nəs/.
Etymology
From Latin conterminus, from con- (“with”) + terminus (“border, end”), equivalent to co- + terminous. The spelling with co- instead of con- is probably influenced by the related prefix co-.