Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A midwestern state in the central United States: A U.S. state, historically a border state during the American Civil War, admitted to the Confederacy without formally seceding from the Union.
   • The longest river in the United States: A major river that arises in Montana and flows southeast to join the Mississippi River at Saint Louis.
   • A member of the Siouan people: A person belonging to a Native American tribe formerly inhabiting the valley of the Missouri River.
   • A dialect of the Chiwere language: The language spoken by the Missouria people.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (State):
  • She was born in Missouri.
  • Missouri is known as the "Show-Me State."
• Proper noun (River):
  • The Missouri River is a major tributary of the Mississippi.
  • They traveled along the Missouri for hundreds of miles.
• Proper noun (People/Language):
  • The Missouri were part of a larger Siouan confederation.
  • The Missouri dialect is closely related to Otoe and Ioway.

Advanced Usage

• "Missouri Compromise": A historical U.S. federal statute of 1820 that regulated slavery in the western territories, admitting Missouri as a slave state.
  • The Missouri Compromise was a critical event leading to the Civil War.
• "I'm from Missouri": An idiomatic expression (often extended to "You'll have to show me") implying a skeptical, non-gullible attitude, deriving from the state's nickname.
  • He said the deal was perfect, but I'm from Missouri—I need to see the data.

Variants and Related Words

• Missourian (noun): A native or resident of the state of Missouri.
  • The Missourian welcomed the tourists.
• Missouri (adjective): Pertaining to the state, river, or people of Missouri.
  • The Missouri coastline along the river is eroding.

Synonyms

• The Show-Me State: The official nickname for the state of Missouri.
• Big Muddy: A common nickname for the Missouri River, referring to its sediment-heavy water.

Related Phrases

• "Missouri mule": Refers to a type of mule historically bred in Missouri, known for its strength, and is also the official state animal.
  • The farmer used a sturdy Missouri mule to plow the field.
• "Across the wide Missouri": A phrase popularized by literature and song, evoking the 19th-century American frontier and westward expansion.
  • The explorers dreamed of lands across the wide Missouri.

Noun

1. a dialect of the Chiwere language spoken by the Missouri
2. a member of the Siouan people formerly inhabiting the valley of the Missouri river in Missouri
3. the longest river in the United States; arises in Montana and flows southeastward to become a tributary of the Mississippi at Saint Louis
   • The Missouri and Mississippi Rivers together form the third longest river in the world
4. a midwestern state in central United States; a border state during the American Civil War, Missouri was admitted to the Confederacy without actually seceding from the Union