State

1. the condition of a person or thing, as with respect to circumstances or attributes: a state of health. 2. the condition of matter with respect to structure, form, constitution, phase, or the like: water in a gaseous state. 3. status, rank, or position in life; station: He dresses in a manner befitting his state. 4. the style of living befitting a person of wealth and high rank: to travel in state. 5. a particular condition of mind or feeling: to be in an excited state. 6. an abnormally tense, nervous, or perturbed condition: He's been in a state since hearing about his brother's death. 7. a politically unified people occupying a definite territory; nation. 8. the territory, or one of the territories, of a government. 9. (sometimes initial capital letter) any of the bodies politic which together make up a federal union, as in the United States of America. 10. the body politic as organized for civil rule and government (distinguished from church). 11. the operations or activities of a central civil government: affairs of state. 12. (initial capital letter). Also called State Department. Informal. the Department of State. 13. Printing. a set of copies of an edition of a publication which differ from others of the same printing because of additions, corrections, or transpositions made during printing or at any time before publication. 14. the States, Informal. the United States (usually used outside its borders): After a year's study in Spain, he returned to the States.