united states

/Y UW0 N AY1 T AH0 D S T EY1 T S/
noun
  1. 1

    (in the singular, formerly also plural) A country in North America, also including Hawaii in Oceania; in full, United States of America.

  2. 2

    (by extension) The American federal government.

  3. 3

    (in the plural) The collection of individual states of the United States of America.

  4. 4

    (nation's name) A federal nation consisting of several states, whether actual, historical or hypothetical.