New England
Preserved but no longer current.
The name given collectively to the north-eastern States of the U.S.A. — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The name was given by Captain John Smith to what was then part of "North Virginia," granted to the Plymouth Company by James I, in 1606.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “New England” mean?
The name given collectively to the north-eastern States of the U.S.A. — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The name was given by Captain John Smith to what was then part of "North Virginia," granted to the Plymouth Company by James I, in 1606.
Is “New England” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.