What does "delaware" mean?
A member of the Lenape / Delaware people.
Delaware
/ˈdɛləwɛɹ/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A member of the Lenape / Delaware people.
- Grammar: delaware is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: lenape, delaware language, delawarean, first state.
- Useful contrasts: out-of-state.
- Usage evidence: I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton, and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
How to use "delaware"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "delaware" 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 "delaware" 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 "delaware" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "delaware" 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 "delaware" is acting as name, noun 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 "lenape" 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 "delaware", 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
Noun
- 1 A member of the Lenape / Delaware people.
- 2 the Algonquian language spoken by the Delaware wordnet
- 3 An American variety of grape, with compact bunches of small, sweet, amber-colored berries.
- 4 a member of an Algonquian people formerly living in New Jersey and New York and parts of Delaware and Pennsylvania wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A river flowing from the Catskills through New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware in the northeastern United States and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Delaware Bay.
- 2 The Lenape people, the indigenous people of Lenapehoking, in what is now the Mid-Atlantic United States.
- 3 Two closely related Algonquian languages of these people, Munsee and Unami.
- 4 The first state of the United States. Capital: Dover. Largest city: Wilmington.
- 5 A river in the United States that flows from northeast Kansas into the Kansas River.
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 Several places in the United States, named for the people or the state.; A city, the county seat of Delaware County, Ohio.
- 7 Several places in the United States, named for the people or the state.; A city in Delaware County, Iowa.
- 8 Several places in the United States, named for the people or the state.; A town in Sullivan County, New York.
- 9 Several places in the United States, named for the people or the state.; A town in Nowata County, Oklahoma.
- 10 Several places in the United States, named for the people or the state.; An unincorporated community in Ripley County, Indiana.
- 11 Several places in the United States, named for the people or the state.; An unincorporated community in Shannon County, Missouri.
- 12 Several places in the United States, named for the people or the state.; A ghost town in Keweenaw County, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula.
- 13 Several places in the United States, named for the people or the state.; A number of townships in the United States, listed under Delaware Township.
- 14 A community in Ontario, Canada.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
out-of-state
Example
"I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton, and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "delaware"?
Common synonyms include: lenape, delaware language, delawarean, first state, river, watercourse.
How do you use "delaware" in a sentence?
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton, and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
How do you pronounce "delaware"?
Pronounced /ˈdɛləwɛɹ/.
Etymology
The river in the northeastern United States was named for Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618). The people and the state were named for the river.