Definition

Proper noun: A group of five large, interconnected freshwater lakes located in east-central North America, on or near the Canada–United States border. They form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface area and contain about 21% of the world's surface fresh water.

Usage

The term "Great Lakes" is used as a proper noun to refer specifically to this single, named geographical system. It is typically used with the definite article "the." * The Great Lakes are a vital transportation route. * Many cities are located along the shores of the Great Lakes. * The health of the Great Lakes ecosystem is a major concern.

Examples

• Chicago is located on the shore of Lake Michigan, one of the Great Lakes.
• Shipping goods via the Great Lakes is an important part of the regional economy.
• Conservation efforts aim to protect the water quality of the Great Lakes.

Advanced Usage

• The Great Lakes Basin: Refers to the entire watershed area that drains into the Great Lakes.
  • The Great Lakes Basin is home to over 30 million people.
• The Great Lakes region: Refers to the broader geographical and cultural area surrounding the lakes.
  • The automotive industry has historically been central to the Great Lakes region.

Variants and Related Words

• Great-Lakes (adj): Used attributively to describe something related to the lakes.
  • Great-Lakes shipping; Great-Lakes states.
• The individual lakes: The system comprises Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. "Lake" is capitalized when part of the proper name.
  • Lake Superior is the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes.

Synonyms

• The Inland Seas (a poetic or historical synonym emphasizing their vast size).
• The Laurentian Great Lakes (a more formal scientific name).

Related Idioms/Phrases

• "To sell ice to the Great Lakes": A humorous idiom meaning to attempt to sell something to someone who already has a vast abundance of it, highlighting the lakes' immense volume of fresh water. It is analogous to "selling coal to Newcastle."
  • Trying to convince that water conservation expert to buy a new filter was like selling ice to the Great Lakes.

Noun

1. a group of five large, interconnected lakes in central North America