Panama Hear it!

Panama1 definition

Pan·ama (pan′ə mä′, -mô′)

noun

  1. a fine, hand-plaited hat made from select leaves of the jipijapa plant
  2. any similar straw hat

Etymology: after Panama (city), once a main distributing center

In full Panama hat
Panama2 definition

Pan·ama (pan′ə mä′, -mô′)

  1. country in Central America, on the Isthmus of Panama: formerly a part of Colombia, it became independent in 1903: 29,761 sq mi (77,081 sq km); pop. 2,329,000
  2. its capital: seaport on the Gulf of Panama: pop. 585,000
  3. arm of the Pacific, on the S coast of Panama: c. 115 mi (185 km) wide
  4. strip of land connecting South America & Central America: 31 mi (50 km) wide at its narrowest point

Etymology: < AmSp Panamá < native Ind word

Related Forms:

  • Panamanian Pan′·a·ma′nian (-mā′nē ən) adjective, noun

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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