Illinois

[il-uh-noi or, sometimes, -noiz] /ˌɪl əˈnɔɪ or, sometimes, -ˈnɔɪz/

noun, plural IIl·li·nois “>IIllinois [il-uh-noi, -noiz] /ˌɪl əˈnɔɪ, -ˈnɔɪz/ (Show IPA)
1.
a member of a confederacy of North American Indians of Algonquian stock, formerly occupying Illinois and adjoining regions westward.
2.
the Algonquian language of the Illinois and Miami Indians.
[il-uh-noi or, sometimes, -noiz] /ˌɪl əˈnɔɪ or, sometimes, -ˈnɔɪz/
noun
1.
a state in the central United States: a part of the Midwest. 56,400 sq. mi. (146,075 sq. km).
Capital: Springfield.
Abbreviation: IL (for use with zip code), Ill.
2.
a river flowing SW from NE Illinois to the Mississippi River: connected by a canal with Lake Michigan. 273 miles (440 km) long.
/ˌɪlɪˈnɔɪ/
noun
1.
a state of the N central US, in the Midwest: consists of level prairie crossed by the Illinois and Kaskaskia Rivers; mainly agricultural. Capital: Springfield. Pop: 12 653 544 (2003 est). Area: 144 858 sq km (55 930 sq miles) Abbreviation Ill., (with zip code) IL
2.
a river in Illinois, flowing SW to the Mississippi. Length: 439 km (273 miles)

U.S. territory created 1809; name is from a native Algonquian people who called themselves Inoca (1725), also written Ilinouek, Old Ottawa for “ordinary speaker.” The modern form represents a 17c. French spelling, pronounced “ilinwe” at that time. Admitted as a state 1818.
Illinois [(il-uh-noy)]

State in the north-central United States bordered on the north by Wisconsin, the east by Indiana, the south by Kentucky, and the west by Missouri and Iowa. Its capital is Springfield, and its largest city is Chicago.

Note: Known as the “Land of Lincoln” because Abraham Lincoln began his political career there.