Definition

Proper noun: * Sault Sainte Marie: A city located in Ontario, Canada, situated directly across from its counterpart city of the same name in Michigan, USA, connected by the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge over the St. Marys River.

Usage Notes

• "Sault Sainte Marie" is the full and formal name. In common usage, it is very frequently shortened to "The Sault" (pronounced "The Soo").
• It is a proper noun and is always capitalized.
• The term specifically refers to the Canadian city. To distinguish it from its American counterpart, one may specify "Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario" or "Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan."

Examples

• As a subject:
  • Sault Sainte Marie is a major hub for shipping on the Great Lakes.
  • The Sault is famous for its canals and locks.
• As an object:
  • We drove through Sault Sainte Marie on our way to Thunder Bay.
  • They visited the Canadian side of Sault Sainte Marie.

Advanced Usage

• The name originates from the French term "Sault de Sainte Marie," meaning "Saint Mary's Rapids" or "Saint Mary's Falls," referring to the rapids of the St. Marys River.
• The two cities (Canadian and American) are collectively referred to as the "Twin Saults" or the "Sault Ste. Maries."

Variants and Related Words

• The Sault: (n.) The common local shorthand for Sault Sainte Marie.
  • I grew up in the Sault.
• Saultite: (n., informal) A resident of Sault Sainte Marie.
  • The Saultites are proud of their hockey team.
• Sault Ste. Marie: An alternative spelling using the abbreviation "Ste." for "Sainte."

Synonyms

• The Soo: An informal synonym based on the pronunciation of "Sault."
  • The freighters are lining up to pass through the Soo Locks.

Noun

1. a town of southern Ontario opposite northern Michigan