chain of freshwater lakes in EC North America, emptying into the St. Lawrence River; Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, & Ontario
See Great Lakes in American Heritage Dictionary 4
A group of five freshwater lakes of central North America between the United States and Canada, including Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario, and Michigan. French traders first sighted the lakes in the early 17th century. Today the Great Lakes connect Midwestern ports with the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway.