Definition of canton Canton

/kæˈntʌn/ - [kantun] - can•ton

We found 23 definitions of canton from 8 different sources.

What does canton mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: cantons
canton - a small administrative division of a country
		administrative district, administrative division, territorial division a district defined for administrative purposes
canton - a city on the Zhu Jiang delta in southern China; the capital of Guangdong province and a major deep-water port
		Guangzhou, Kuangchou, Kwangchow, Canton
Verb cantons, cantoning, cantoned
canton - divide into cantons, of a country
		carve up, dissever, split up, split, divide, separate perform a division; "Can you divide 49 by seven?"
canton - provide housing for (military personnel)
		quarter, billet
		lodge, accommodate put, fix, force, or implant; "lodge a bullet in the table"; "stick your thumb in the crack"
		armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"

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Wiktionary

canton (Noun)
A division of a political unit.
canton (Noun)
One of the states comprising the Swiss Confederation.
canton (Noun)
A subdivision of an arrondissement of France.
canton (Noun)
A division of Luxembourg, Bosnia and Herzegovina , etc.
canton (Noun)
A subdivision of a flag, the rectangular inset on the upper hoist i. e. , flagpole side e. g. , the stars of the US national flag are in a canton.
canton (Verb)
To delineate as a separate district.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

canton (n.)
A song or canto
canton (n.)
A small portion; a division; a compartment.
canton (n.)
A small community or clan.
canton (n.)
A small territorial district; esp. one of the twenty-two independent states which form the Swiss federal republic; in France, a subdivision of an arrondissement. See Arrondissement.
canton (n.)
A division of a shield occupying one third part of the chief, usually on the dexter side, formed by a perpendicular line from the top of the shield, meeting a horizontal line from the side.
canton (v. i.)
To divide into small parts or districts; to mark off or separate, as a distinct portion or division.
canton (v. i.)
To allot separate quarters to, as to different parts or divisions of an army or body of troops.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

canton
A sub-provincial city located in southern China in the middle of Guangdong Province north of the Pearl River, about 120 km (75 mi) northwest of Hong Kong.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

canton
kan′tun, n. a division of territory, constituting in Switzerland a separate government, in France a subdivision of an arrondissement: (her.) an ordinary of a shield, being a square occupying generally the dexter, sometimes the sinister, chief of the field.—v.t. to divide into cantons: to allot quarters to troops.—adjs. Can′tonal, pertaining to or divided into cantons; Can′toned (archit.), ornamented at the corners with projecting pilasters: (her.) placed in the midst of charges occupying the corners.—n. Can′tonment (also pronounced can-tōōn′ment), the temporary quarters of troops when taking part in manœuvres or active operations: in India, permanent military towns, distinct and at some little distance from the principal cities. [O. Fr. canton; It. cantone, corner, district—canto, a corner: cf. Cant (2).]

Military DictionaryMilitary Dictionary and Gazetteer 💥

canton
The only city in China with which Europeans were allowed to trade till the treaty of August 29, 1842. In 1856 a serious misunderstanding arose between Great Britain and China, on account of the Chinese having boarded the “Arrow,” a small vessel, lying in the Canton River, with a British colonial register. The Canton forts were taken, and Canton was bombarded by Sir Michael Seymour in 1856, and in the following year the Chinese fleet was entirely destroyed. In 1858 Canton was taken, and the forts at the mouth of the Pei-ho River were taken by the allied French and English forces.
canton
One of the nine honorable ordinaries in heraldry. It occupies a corner of the shield either dexter or sinister, and is a third of the chief.

Wikipedia

Canton can mean many different things.

Part of speech

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canton, verb, present, 1st person singular of canton (infinitive).
canton, verb (infinitive).
canton, noun, singular of cantons.

Pronunciation

Word frequency

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Sign Language

canton in sign language