[kal-uh-fawrn-yuh, -fawr-nee-uh] 
| 1. | a state in the W United States, on the Pacific coast. 23,668,562; 158,693 sq. mi. (411,015 sq. km). Capital: Sacramento. Abbreviation: CA (for use with zip code), Cal., Calif. |
| 2. | Gulf of, an arm of the Pacific Ocean, extending NW between the coast of W Mexico and the peninsula of Lower California. ab. 750 mi. (1207 km) long; 62,600 sq. mi. (162,100 sq. km). |
| Cal·i·for·nia (kāl'ĭ-fôr'nyə, -fôr'nē-ə) Abbr. CA or Cal. or Calif. A state of the western United States on the Pacific Ocean. It was admitted as the 31st state in 1850. The area was colonized by the Spanish and formally ceded to the United States by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848). California is often called the Golden State because of its sunny climate and the discovery of gold during its pioneering days. Sacramento is the capital and Los Angeles the largest city. Population: 36,600,000. Cal'i·for'nian adj. & n. |
State in the Far West bordered by Oregon to the north; Nevada and Arizona to the east; Baja California, Mexico, to the south; and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Its capital is Sacramento, and its largest city is Los Angeles.
Note: During the California gold rush tens of thousands of people poured into California in search of gold. It is sometimes called the “Golden State.” (See forty-niners.)
Note: California is the most populous state. It is known for its earthquakes, high-tech industries (see Silicon Valley), and agriculture.
Note: The state is famous for all the fads and ideas that originate there, many of which are considered strange or eccentric.
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əˈfɔrn