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Glite Dictionary
R.I.

R.I.

3.6
A US state in New England that is the smallest of the original 13 colonies
  • noun
translation icon : R.I.
  • The company has its headquarters in Providence, R.I..

Examples

  • She visited all six New England states, including R.I..

  • Many tourists flock to R.I. for its beaches.

  • My cousin studied at a college in R.I..

  • I visited R.I. last summer.

  • Many tourists flock to R.I. for its beautiful beaches and historic sites.

  • I plan to visit several states in New England, including R.I..

  • The company has its main office in Providence, R.I., which is known for its vibrant arts scene.

Synonyms

Rhode Island
vsR.I.
75 1.0

A small state in New England with Providence as its capital

is the standard abbreviation form for that state
Ocean State
vsR.I.
  • US
3.9

A nickname for Rhode Island, the smallest US state in New England

is an abbreviation rather than a nickname
Little Rhody
vsR.I.
  • Informal
7.0

A common nickname for the small U.S. state Rhode Island

is the official abbreviation rather than an informal nickname

Surface Forms

R.I. singular

Morphology

R.I. = Rhode Island (transparent) = R + I

The form is an initialism that directly encodes the initials of the place name and so is recoverable for learners familiar with abbreviation conventions.

Etymology

R.I. is a short form for Rhode Island, a U.S. state whose name probably comes from a Dutch phrase meaning 'red island'. A helpful way to remember R.I. is that the letters stand for Rhode and Island, and you will often see this short form in addresses and lists for that small state.