Spanish Conversation · Level 74
60 words
Spanish word
cantón
Pronunciation
IPA/kanˈton/
Meaning
- masculine nounmunicipality
Example
El cantón eligió a un nuevo alcalde.
The municipality elected a new mayor.
More examples
¿Conoces los límites del cantón?
Do you know the boundaries of the municipality?
Core concept
Locally governed district with defined administrative borders.
Common phrases
vivir en el cantón
live in the municipality
elecciones municipales en el cantón
municipal elections in the municipality
Similar words
municipio: Town- or city-based administrative area responsible for municipal services and local rules.
provincia: Broad territorial unit grouping several municipalities and handling regional administration.
distrito: Subunit created for administrative or electoral purposes to manage local organization.
departamento: Major regional unit of national administration covering a large geographic area.
Definition in Spanish
División administrativa de un territorio que corresponde a una unidad local de gobierno, similar a un municipio o a una entidad con funciones administrativas propias.
Word origin
From French canton, via Italian cantone (originally meaning 'corner' or 'district'), adopted into Spanish to name a bounded unit of local government.
Usage tips
- The meaning and official status of cantón varies by country: it is an official division in Costa Rica and Ecuador but is rarely used in Spain, where municipio is the usual term.
Related words
- cantonalmunicipaladjective