noun
canton
KAN-tuhn
noun
1
A political or administrative division of a country, such as one of the states of Switzerland.
"Switzerland is made up of twenty-six cantons, each with its own local government."
verb
1
To divide a region into cantons, or to house troops by requisitioning local lodging.
"Troops were cantoned in the villages along the border."
How to Use Canton
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA political subdivision of a country, most famously the states of Switzerland.
Common pairings
Swiss canton
canton government
Word Forms
cantoned past tense, cantons plural, cantons plural, cantons singular
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Switzerland is made up of twenty-six _____, each with its own local government.
Etymology
From Middle French canton, from Old French canton, "corner."