Meaning & use
Spokane
Last updated
Meanings
proper nounproper
A city in eastern Washington State, in the northwestern United States.
Grammar: Capitalized and used without 'the': I live in Spokane. Not 'the Spokane'.
Patterns
- in Spokane
- Spokane, Washington
Her grandparents moved to Spokane in the 1970s.
The flight from Seattle to Spokane takes about an hour.
Spokane is the second-largest city in Washington.
proper nounproper
A Native American people of the northwestern United States, or a member of this people.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun for the people and as a singular noun for one person.
Patterns
- the Spokane
- a Spokane
The Spokane have lived in this region for thousands of years.
He is a Spokane and speaks the Salish language.
Common combinations
- downtown Spokane
- We spent the afternoon walking around downtown Spokane.
- Spokane, Washington
- The company's main office is in Spokane, Washington.
- the Spokane River
- The Spokane River runs through the middle of the city.
Commonly confused: Spokane or Spokane?
Spokane vs Spokane
This is a misspelling; the correct spelling is Spokane with no extra letters.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'Spokane' correctly?
Choose one answer.
City names take no article: in Spokane. 'The Spokane' would refer to the Native American people, not the city.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Spokane”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.