Definition of
Ottawa
- (noun, location) the capital of Canada (located in southeastern Ontario across the Ottawa river from Quebec)
- (noun, object) a river in southeastern Canada that flows along the boundary between Quebec and Ontario to the Saint Lawrence River near Montreal
- (noun, person) a member of the Algonquian people of southern Ontario
via WordNet, Princeton University
Synonyms of Ottawa
canadian capital, capital of canada, ottawa river, outaouais
Alternate forms of Ottawa
Hypernyms: algonquian, algonquin
Origin of the word Ottawa
- Canadian capital, founded 1827 as Bytown, named for English officer John By, who oversaw construction of the canal there; renamed 1854, when it became capital, for the Ottawa River, which took its name from the Algonquian people who lived in Michigan and Ontario. Their name is said to be from adawe "to trade." more
via Online Etymology Dictionary, ©2001 Douglas Harper