Definition
View the full definition in the Macmillan Dictionary.
Origin and usage
The adjective Canadian comes from Canada, the name of the country, plus the suffix -ian. It has been in use since the late 16th century.
Examples
Today is Canada Day, a national holiday in Canada. The name Canada probably comes from ‘kanata’, a word in Huron-Iroquois that means ‘village’ or ‘settlement’. In addition to entries for nationality words such as the noun and adjective Canadian, Macmillan Dictionary has informative entries for countries. The entry for Canada tells you the country’s population (in 2015), capital, languages spoken, the extent of its territory and more. All the entries for nation states also carry an image of the nation’s flag, in the case of Canada a red maple leaf on a red and white background. Each entry is linked to other entries for countries, nationalities, and names of people from different parts of the world. Canadians are sometimes called Canucks, and if you look up this entry you will find a link to a list of entries for ‘informal and old-fashioned words for nationality and ethnicity’. The thesaurus is a fantastic resource but be warned: it can lead you down all kinds of unexpected paths once you start browsing.
Quotations
“I do the Canadian Air Force exercises almost every day.”
(Ruth Bader Ginsburg)
“My mother was Canadian, so you never knew what she was thinking.”
(Shirley Maclaine)
Related words
Canada, Canuck, Canadianize
