state

A2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈsteɪt/ UK /steɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #704

Meanings

1

noun
The condition that someone or something is in at a particular time.

The house was in a terrible state after the party.
2

noun
A country with its own government.

The leaders of several states met to discuss trade.
3

noun
One of the regions that together make up a country such as the USA.

Texas is the second largest state in the country.
4

noun
The government and its institutions.

The railways are owned by the state.
5

noun
One of the forms that matter takes, such as solid, liquid, or gas.

Ice is the solid state of water.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a country with its own... country nation land

3 noun · one of the regions that... province

5 noun · one of the forms that... state of matter

More communicate condition position scenario shape situation status

Word family

Forms statedstatesstating

Derived forms all-statecivilization-stateethno-statein-statenarco-statenation-statenon-stateout-of-statepro-statepseudo-statepseudostatere-state

Related forms crown

Appears in

Phrases (13)

See all

current state
the condition that something is in at the present time

Adjective + noun
emotional state
the condition of a person's feelings at a particular moment

Adjective + noun
mental state
the condition of a person's mind at a given time

Adjective + noun
natural state
the original, unaltered condition of something

Adjective + noun
state a reason
to clearly express a justification, especially in a formal context

Verb + noun
ecstatic state
a condition of intense religious excitement or trance

Adjective + noun

Idioms (1)

See all

state of the art
using the most advanced and modern techniques or technology

Simplified etymology

State entered Middle English as a shortened form of estate. Both words ultimately derive from Latin status, meaning “state” or “condition.”

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- Proto-Italic *status Latin statuslbor. Old French estatbor. Middle English stat English state From Middle English stat (as a noun); adopted c. 1200 from both Old French estat and Latin stātus (“manner of standing, attitude, position, carriage, manner, dress, apparel; and other senses”), from stāre (“to stand”). Doublet of estate and status. The sense of "polity" develops in the 14th century. Compare French être, Greek στέω (stéo), Italian stare, Portuguese estar, Romanian sta, and Spanish estar. The verb is first attested around the beginning of the 1…

*steh₂- Proto-Indo-European stat Middle English estat Middle English stātus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# state

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈsteɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /steɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 704

## Meanings
1. The condition that someone or something is in at a particular time.
2. A country with its own government.
3. One of the regions that together make up a country such as the USA.
4. The government and its institutions.
5. One of the forms that matter takes, such as solid, liquid, or gas.

## Examples
- The house was in a terrible state after the party.
- The leaders of several states met to discuss trade.
- Texas is the second largest state in the country.
- The railways are owned by the state.
- Ice is the solid state of water.

## Synonyms
- communicate
- condition
- position
- scenario
- shape
- situation
- status

## Derived Forms
- all-state
- civilization-state
- ethno-state
- in-state
- narco-state
- nation-state
- non-state
- out-of-state
- pro-state
- pseudo-state
- pseudostate
- re-state

## Related Forms
- crown

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *steh₂-
- Root: stat
- Root: estat
- Root: stātus

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- Proto-Italic *status Latin statuslbor. Old French estatbor. Middle English stat English state From Middle English stat (as a noun); adopted c. 1200 from both Old French estat and Latin stātus (“manner of standing, attitude, position, carriage, manner, dress, apparel; and other senses”), from stāre (“to stand”). Doublet of estate and status. The sense of "polity" develops in the 14th century. Compare French être, Greek στέω (stéo), Italian stare, Portuguese estar, Romanian sta, and Spanish estar. The verb is first attested around the beginning of the 1…

## AI Etymology
State is from Middle English stat (as a noun); adopted c. 1200 from both Old French estat and Latin stātus (“manner of standing, attitude, position, carriage, manner, dress, apparel; and other senses”), from stāre (“to stand”). Doublet of estate and status. The sense of "polity" develops in the 14th century. Compare French être, Greek στέω (stéo), Italian stare, Portuguese estar, Romanian sta, and Spanish estar. In present-day use, it can mean the condition that someone or something is in at a particular time, or a country with its own government.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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