1 panama | Definition of panama

panama

noun, often capitalized
pan·​a·​ma | \ ˈpa-nə-ˌmä How to pronounce panama (audio) , -ˌmȯ\

Definition of panama

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a lightweight hat of natural-colored straw hand-plaited of narrow strips from the young leaves of the jipijapa also : a machine-made imitation of this

Panama

geographical name
Pan·​a·​ma | \ ˈpa-nə-ˌmä How to pronounce Panama (audio) , -ˌmȯ, ˌpa-nə-ˈmä, -ˈmȯ, ; ˌpä-nä-ˈmä\
variants: or Spanish Panamá

Definition of Panama (Entry 2 of 2)

1 country in southernmost Central America between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific; a republic; before 1903 part of Colombia area (including Canal Zone) 30,765 square miles (79,681 square kilometers), population 3,405,813
2 or Panama City city, port on the Gulf of Panama, and capital of Panama population 430,000
3 ship canal 51 miles (82 kilometers) long in central Panama connecting the Atlantic (via the Caribbean Sea) and the Pacific (via the Gulf of Panama)

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Other Words from panama

Geographical name

Panamanian \ ˌpa-​nə-​ˈmā-​nē-​ən How to pronounce Panamanian (audio) \ adjective or noun

Examples of panama in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Duchess Meghan, wearing a white blouse and panama hat, is spotted holding their three-month-old son, who donned a striped sweater and beige pants. Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and Archie Vacationed in the South of France," 19 Aug. 2019 Meghan paired her dress with a pair of Grear leather sandals from Sarah Flint NY, a pair of sunglasses and a white-and-black Madewell x Biltmore panama hat, which is also sold out. Maria Pasquini, PEOPLE.com, "Surprise! Meghan Markle Joins Serena Williams to Cheer on Prince Harry at Polo Match," 30 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'panama.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of panama

Noun

1834, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for panama

Noun

American Spanish panamá, from Panama, Central America

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More from Merriam-Webster on panama

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with panama

Spanish Central: Translation of panama

Britannica English: Translation of panama for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about panama

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