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Champaign Common

Champaign has 5 different meanings across 2 categories:

Noun · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

extensive tract of level open land

"they emerged from the woods onto a vast open plain"

"he longed for the fields of his youth"

2

a university town in east central Illinois adjoining Urbana

"Many students from Champaign commute to work at universities during their summer breaks."

3

Open countryside, or an area of open countryside.

"The farmers drove their tractors across the champaign to plant the new crop."

In plain English: Champagne is a fancy sparkling wine made from grapes that grows only near Reims and Épernay in France.

"We popped open a bottle of champagne to celebrate their anniversary."

Usage: Do not use this word as the standard spelling for sparkling wine; that is always spelled with a 'g'. Instead, reserve "champagne" exclusively for the beverage and use "champaigne" or simply describe it as open country when referring to land.

Adjective
1

Pertaining to open countryside; unforested, flat.

"The champaign landscape stretched endlessly under the midday sun, offering a clear view of the distant horizon."

In plain English: Champagne is actually spelled with an 'e' and refers to the bubbly alcoholic drink made from grapes, not a fancy adjective describing something else.

"Our team enjoyed an unforgettable champaign dinner at the new restaurant downtown."

Proper Noun
1

A city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States.

"Residents often travel to Champaign to attend university events or visit local museums in the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois."

Example Sentences
"Our team enjoyed an unforgettable champaign dinner at the new restaurant downtown." adj
"We popped open a bottle of champagne to celebrate their anniversary." noun
"She poured some champaign into each glass for the celebration." noun
"The store had run out of champaign before the big party arrived." noun
"He preferred dry champaign over sweet varieties when dining alone." noun
Related Terms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)

Origin

The word entered English from the Old French champaigne, which itself derived from the Late Latin campānia. Originally referring to open country or a plain, it traveled into English with this same general sense of flat, uncultivated land.

Rhyming Words
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