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Glite Dictionary
Old North State

Old North State

7.3
A nickname for the state of North Carolina
  • proper noun
translation icon : Estado del Viejo Norte
  • Many people know North Carolina as the Old North State.

Examples

  • The Old North State is famous for its beautiful coastline and mountain ranges.

  • He moved to the Old North State for its warm weather and rich history.

  • The Old North State is beautiful.

  • Many people love the Old North State for its beautiful landscapes.

  • Many people know North Carolina as the Old North State.

  • He moved to the Old North State for its warm weather and rich history.

  • The Old North State is famous for its beautiful coastline and mountain ranges.

Synonyms

North Carolina
vsOld North State
131 1.0

A state in the southeast of the United States

is a nickname used instead of the official state name
NC
vsOld North State
89 1.0

A short form for the state North Carolina in the United States

is a nickname used as an informal alternative to the name
Tar Heel State
vsOld North State
6.8

A nickname for the state of North Carolina in the United States

is a historic alternative nickname rather than that common regional name
N.C.
vsOld North State
1.6

A state in the southeast of the United States called North Carolina

is a nickname form rather than an abbreviation

Surface Forms

Old North State main

Morphology

old + North + state

The words 'old' + 'North' + 'state' transparently convey a literal sense of an older/northern political entity, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it is a historical or traditional name for a state. However, the fixed referent — specifically that this is a nickname for North Carolina — is arbitrary and cannot be fully deduced from the parts alone, so the expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Old North State comes from long ago when North Carolina was the northern part of the older colony called Carolina, so people began calling it the 'Old North' or 'Old North State' to show its long history. That's why Old North State is used today as a 'nickname for North Carolina'.