The names of the 50 states are as diverse as the people and cultures within them. While the exact etymology of these names has been debated (and in some cases lost over the years), almost half of them owe tribute to the Indigenous tribes who lived on the continent long before state borders existed. While the relationship between modern America and Indigenous peoples is complicated at best, a trip through the roots of the state names reminds us of our rich, diverse history.

Many U.S. states were named after waterways, and “Alabama” comes from the name of the river that European explorers named after local Indigenous people — possibly the Alabamas or Alibamons. The tribal name (in several different spellings) appeared in written accounts of the Hernando de Soto expedition of 1540.

Alaska’s name has ties both to Russian settlers who sold the land to the United States in 1867, and to the native Aleut people. Russians referred to the land as Аляска, while the Aleut referred to it as Alyeska, both of which mean “great land.” This is fitting, given that the state is larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined.

Some historians believe “Arizona” came from a Tohono O’odham name that sounded like Aleh-zon or Ali-Shonak, meaning “small spring” or “place of the small spring,” respectively. However, there is some dispute about this, since springs don’t necessarily come to mind with the dry heat and desert of Arizona. An alternative theory is that the name is a Basque word that means “the good oak tree,” which would have come from Spanish missionaries.

While “Kansas” is tucked inside the spelling of this state, the two names don’t have the same origins. “Arkansas” comes from the French pronunciation of an Algonquin name for the native Quapaw people, Akansa. It literally means “south wind” or “downstream,” appropriate in the sense that the Quapaw people lived just downstream from the much larger Algonquin tribe. The spelling and pronunciation were all over the place until the state passed a law in the 19th century, spelling it as “Arkansas” and pronouncing it “AR-kan-saw.”

“Connecticut” stems from the Mohegan word Quinnehtukqut, meaning “beside the long tidal river.” The Dutch adapted it when they arrived in 1614, and it became permanent when the area became a state in 1788.

The state of Hawai’i is made up of eight islands named Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Maui, Kaho’olawe, and the Big Island of Hawai’i. There are many myths and legends about the origins of these names, but the most popular is that “Hawai’i” comes from Hawai’iloa, the name of the legendary voyager and discoverer of the islands, and most of the other island names come from his descendants.

If you’ve ever felt a bit sleepy while driving through the fields of Iowa, it makes sense, because the state name comes from the tribal name ayuxwa, which means “one who puts one to sleep.” When European settlers came through, the English spelled it “Ioway” and the French spelled it “Ayoua.”

Given Kansas’ reputation for powerful tornados, the roots of its name aren’t surprising. It comes from the Kansa tribe who lived in the area, with the name loosely translating to “people of the south wind.”

The land now called Kentucky was home to many different Indigenous tribes, so there are multiple possible name-origin stories, though they all have Native American roots. One suggests that the name comes from the Wyandot tribal word for “plain.” Another posits that it comes from the Haudenosaunee word for “prairie.”

The Massachuset tribe in the early 17th century likely numbered around 3,000 people living along what is now the Massachusetts coast. The name “Massachuset” means “at or about the great hill” in the Algonquin language. The Massachuset people were virtually wiped out by disease by the 1630s, but the state of Massachusetts was named after them.  

The largest of the Great Lakes is also named Michigan, which is appropriate since “Michigan” comes from an Ojibwa word, michi-gama, meaning “large lake.”

The consensus is clear that Minnesota was named after the Minnesota River, and that Mni is the Dakota tribe’s word for “water.” But sota gets cloudy — literally. Some historians think the word means “cloudy,” while others say it’s “sky-tinted.” Both are decent origin stories for the land of 10,000 lakes.

“Mississippi,” like “Illinois,” comes from the French interpretation of a Native American word. This one is a variation of the Algonquin phrase misi sipi, meaning “big water” or “great river.”

The nickname of the Missouri River is “Big Muddy,” but there was a Sioux tribe called the Missouri, and their name translates to “wooden canoe people.”

The Oto people (of the Siouan language group) used the word nebrathka to mean “flat river.” Nebrathka was later adapted for the state of Nebraska.

The land that makes up these states was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Dakota Territory was created in 1861, and the individual states were admitted to the union in 1889. But long before that, “Dakota” was the name of a Sioux tribe. The word also means “friend” or “ally” in the Sioux language.

Like many other states, Ohio was named for a river, whose own name came from the Iroquois term ohi-yo, which means “the great river.”

Following the Civil War, a delegation of tribal leaders went to Washington, D.C., to resume formal relationships with the U.S. government. One of the proposals was the creation of an Indian territory, which the Choctaw delegate proposed naming “Oklahumma” (okla means “people” and humma means “red” in Choctaw), loosely translated to “Territory of the Red People.” The spelling evolved to “Oklahoma,” and it remained when the Indian and Oklahoma territories became one state in 1907.

Tennessee’s name is a bit of a mystery. There was a Cherokee tribe located at a village called Tanasse (or possibly spelled “Tennese”), but any further origin is largely unknown. The state was named for the principal river, but the meaning of the word is considered to be lost.

The long-accepted origin of the name “Texas” is that it came from a Caddo word for “ally” or “friend,” which was adapted by Spaniards into tejas, which turned into “Texas.” There have been some different spellings (and possibly entirely different stories), but most Texans are happy to stick with the Indigenous Caddo greeting teysha, meaning “hello, friend.”

“Utah” likely owes its roots to the Apache word yuttahih, which means “high places” or “people who live in high places.” This stuck with the settlers who used it to describe the Indigenous people they encountered in the mountains.

“Wisconsin” comes from the Miami word meskonsing, which is what the local tribe called the river that runs through the state. Historians believe the word translates closely to “the stream meanders through something red,” with the “something red” being Wisconsin’s sandstone bluffs.

Some believe “Wyoming” originates in the Lenape word chwewamink, meaning “big river flat.” However, the Lenape didn’t live in Wyoming, so the theory is that settlers borrowed the word from a place name in Pennsylvania. It also could stem from the Delaware people’s mecheweami-ing, meaning “at the big plains.” Either way, it articulates the vastness of that state’s great outdoors.

Since 1926, students have been taking the SAT (or Scholastic Assessment Test) to measure their readiness for college. The test used to be two parts — math and verbal — but to keep up with advances in education, it was changed in 2016 to contain three parts split over two sections, with one part focusing on math, another part focusing on reading skills, and a third part focusing on writing and language aptitude. The most recent update changed the SAT yet again, doing away with the No. 2 pencils and making it an entirely digital experience. This digital SAT has two sections — a reading and writing section and a math section — with two “modules” in each.

With the older format, studying and memorizing vocabulary words was a big part of test prep. However, the 2016 test and the digital test were designed to focus less on vocabulary questions, and more on skills such as comprehension, analysis, reasoning, and expression of ideas. Vocabulary is part of that, but the most common words on the test are ones students may encounter in college or the workplace. So even if you’re not taking the SAT anytime soon, knowing this list will give you a good basis for professional communication.

Abandon (v.) – Give up entirely.

Abate (v.) – Become less intense or widespread.

Abet (v.) – Assist in doing something wrong.

Accede (v.) – Agree to a demand or request.

Anomaly (n.) – Something that deviates from what is normal.

Apex (n.) – Top or highest point.

Berate (v.) – Scold or criticize.

Bias (n.) – Prejudice in favor of or against something.

Bovine (adj.) – Relating to or affecting cattle.

Braggart (n.) – Person who boasts about achievements.

Burnish (v.) – Polish by rubbing.

Cache (n.) – Collection of similar items stored in a hidden place.

Cacophony (n.) – Harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

Catalyst (n.) – Substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction.

Censorious (adj.) – Severely critical of others.

Dearth (n.) – Scarcity or lack of something.

Demagogue (n.) – Political leader who appeals to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people.

Demur (v.) – Raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.

Disdain (n.) – Feeling something is unworthy of one’s consideration or respect.

Dispassionate (adj.) – Not influenced by strong emotion, but rational and impartial.

Effluvium (n.) – Unpleasant or harmful odor.

Emulate (v.) – Match or surpass by imitation.

Epochal (adj.) – Extremely significant.

Expound (v.) – Present and explain in detail.

Ferocity (n.) – State of being savagely fierce, cruel, or violent.

Flourish (v.) – Grow or develop in a healthy way.

Frankly (adv.) – In an open, honest, and direct manner.

Fundamental (adj.) – Forming a necessary base or core.

Galvanize (v.) – Shock or excite someone into taking action.

Geriatric (adj.) – Relating to older people.

Hedonist (n.) – Person who seeks pleasure.

Hubris (n.) – Excessive pride or self-confidence.

Impart (v.) – Make information known.

Impartiality (n.) – Fair and equal treatment of all.

Importunate (adj.) – Persistent, especially to the point of annoyance.

Imposition (n.) – Action or process of forcing something.

Indifference (n.) – Lack of interest, concern, or sympathy.

Innovative (adj.) – Introducing new or original ideas.

Jocular (adj.) – Humorous or playful.

Jubilation (n.) – Feeling of great happiness and triumph.

Kismet (n.) – Destiny or fate.

Lament (n.) – Expression of grief or sorrow.

Locomotion (n.) – Ability to move from one place to another.

Malicious (adj.) – Intending to harm.

Materialistic (adj.) – Excessively concerned with material possessions or money.

Mawkish (adj.) – Sentimental in a feeble or sickly way.

Melodramatic (adj.) – Being exaggerated, sensationalized, or overemotional.

Modest (adj.) – Unassuming or moderate in estimating one’s abilities or achievements.

Novel (n.) – Fictitious prose narrative of book-length.

Null (adj.) – Having no legal or binding force.

Onset (n.) – Beginning of something.

Opine (v.) – State one’s opinion.

Oust (v.) – Drive out or expel.

Pandemic (adj.) – Disease prevalent over a whole country or the world.

Paramount (adj.) – More important than anything else.

Patrician (n.) – Aristocrat or nobleman.

Polyglot (n.) – Knowing or using several languages.

Prestidigitation (n.) – Magic tricks performed as entertainment.

Provocative (adj.) – Deliberately causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction.

Quantitative (adj.) – Relating to measuring.

Quirk (n.) – Peculiar behavioral habit.

Rancor (n.) – Bitterness or resentfulness.

Refute (v.) – Prove to be wrong or false.

Resilient (adj.) – Able to recover quickly from difficult conditions.

Revile (v.) – Criticize in an abusive manner.

Rife (adj.) – Something undesirable in common occurrence.

Sanctimonious (adj.) – Making a show of being morally superior to others.

Scrupulous (adj.) – Diligent, thorough, and highly attentive to details.

Sedition (n.) – Conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against authority.

Sinecure (n.) – Position requiring little or no work but giving the holder a benefit.

Sybarite (n.) – Person who is self-indulgent in their fondness for sensuous luxury.

Tactful (adj.) – Showing sensitivity.

Taut (adj.) – Stretched or pulled tight.

Temperament (n.) – Person or animal’s nature.

Tentative (adj.) – Not certain or fixed.

Transparent (adj.) – Allowing light to pass through so objects can be seen.

Tremendous (adj.) – In a great amount or intensity.

Trounce (v.) – Defeat heavily.

Ubiquitous (adj.) – Found everywhere.

Unadorned (adj.) – Plain or simple.

Undermine (v.) – Lessen the effectiveness.

Underscore (n.) – Line drawn under a word for emphasis.

Undulate (v.) – Move with a smooth up-and-down motion.

Unilateral (adj.) – Performed by or affecting only one person or group.

Unjust (adj.) – Not behaving according to what is morally right and fair.

Unmitigated (adj.) – Absolute or unqualified.

Unprecedented (adj.) – Never done or known before.

Unveil (v.) – Remove a veil or covering.

Urge (v.) – Try earnestly or persistently to persuade.

Usury (n.) – Lending money at unlawfully high rates of interest.

Validate (v.) – Check or prove the accuracy.

Vital (adj.) – Absolutely necessary or essential.

Vow (n.) – Solemn promise.

Warrant (n.) – Justification or authority for an action, belief, or feeling.

Winsome (adj.) – Attractive or appealing.

Wry (adj.) – Using or expressing dry humor.

Xenophobe (n.) – Having a dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.

Yeoman (n.) – Man holding and cultivating a small landed estate.

Yield (v.) – Give way to arguments, demands, or pressure.

Yowl (n.) – Loud wailing cry.

Zenith (n.) – Time at which something is most powerful or successful.