What does colorado mean?
Colorado is a proper noun naming both a state in the American West and the great river associated with it. The state, admitted to the Union in 1876 as the Centennial State because it joined a century after the Declaration of Independence, is famed for the Rocky Mountains, high plains, ski resorts, and the capital city of Denver. The Colorado River rises in those same mountains and flows roughly 1,450 miles southwest through seven U.S. states and Mexico, carving the Grand Canyon along the way before reaching the Gulf of California. Both names derive from the Spanish adjective colorado, meaning 'colored' or 'reddish', which early explorers applied to the river's silt-red waters. In modern usage, the word always appears capitalized, most commonly referring to the state, and carries connotations of mountain scenery, outdoor recreation, and the American frontier West.
A state in the western United States, in the Rocky Mountain region, admitted to the Union in 1876; capital Denver.
"Aspen, Colorado, is famous for its ski slopes."
Proper noun; always capitalized.
A major river of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, rising in the Rocky Mountains and flowing about 1,450 miles southwest to the Gulf of California.
"The Grand Canyon was carved over millions of years by the Colorado River."
Usually cited as 'the Colorado River'.
Rarely pluralized; the plural appears mainly in sports contexts, such as references to teams named after the state or river.
"The Colorados took the field to a roaring home crowd."
Colorado is named for being 'colored' — Spanish explorers called its red-hued river 'río colorado', meaning reddish, and the name stuck to both the river and the state.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of colorado
The name comes from the Spanish adjective colorado, meaning 'colored' or 'reddish', derived from Latin color ('hue, complexion'). Spanish explorers applied it to the silt-heavy, reddish waters of the river now known as the Colorado River. The U.S. state took its name from that river when it was organized as a territory in 1861 and admitted as a state in 1876. English words sharing the same Latin root include color, colorful, and discolor.
How colorado is actually used
Always capitalized as a proper noun. When used without further context, it most often refers to the state; the river usually appears as 'the Colorado River' or simply 'the Colorado'. The adjective sense (Spanish 'reddish, colored') survives only in historical or regional names such as the Colorado Desert and Colorado City.
Easily confused with colorado
Colombia is a country in South America, whereas Colorado is a state in the western United States; the two share similar opening sounds but nothing else.