Mississippi

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ËŒmɪsəˈsɪpi/

Origin

From Ojibwe misi-ziibi ("great river") or gichi-.

Full definition of Mississippi

Proper noun

1. A . Capital Jackson: Postal abbreviation: MS
2. A major river in North America that rises in Minnesota and flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

Interjection

1. Used to count out a time of about one second, especially in games.
• 1996, “Cheers & Jeers”, in Field and Stream, v 101, September, p 12:Any reader who uses the old “One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, etc.” method to estimate distance to a storm, and doesn't get any further than a count of five to eight had better be in a safe shelter.

Noun

1. A recitation of “Mississippi” (interjection).
• 1997, George Clark, The Small Bees’ Honey: Stories, Buffalo, NY: White Pine Press, p 129:I counted five Mississippis between each flash of lightning and the thunder crash that followed.

Synonyms

• (state) the Magnolia State, the Hospitality State nicknames
• (river) the Big Muddy (also more commonly used for the Missouri), Big River, Body of a Nation, El Grande, El Grande de Soto, the Father of Waters, the Gathering of Waters, the Great River, the Mighty Mississippi, the Muddy Mississippi, Old Man River nicknames

Derived terms

• Mississippian
• Mississippi kite
• Mississippi plan
• Mississippi rifle
• MS