Definition "Alaska" in the Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus

Alaska n

1 the largest state of the U.S., in the extreme northwest of North America: the aboriginal inhabitants are Eskimos; the earliest White settlements were made by the Russians; it was purchased by the U.S. from Russia in 1867. It is mostly mountainous and volcanic, rising over 6000 m (20000 ft.), with the Yukon basin in the central region; large areas are covered by tundra; it has important mineral resources (chiefly coal, oil, and natural gas). Capital: Juneau. Pop.: 609311 (1997 est.). Area: 1530694 sq. km (591004 sq. miles), (Abbrevs.) Alas (with zip code) AK

2 Gulf of. the N part of the Pacific, between the Alaska Peninsula and the Alexander Archipelago
♦ Alaskan adj, n

Alaska Highway n
a road extending from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Fairbanks, Alaska: built by the U.S. Army (1942). Length: 2452 km (1523 miles), (Originally called) Alcan Highway

Alaska Peninsula n
an extension of the mainland of SW Alaska between the Pacific and the Bering Sea, ending in the Aleutian Islands. Length: about 644 km (400 miles)

Alaska Range n
a mountain range in S central Alaska. Highest peak: Mount McKinley, 6194 m (20320 ft.)

baked Alaska n
a dessert consisting of cake and ice cream covered with meringue and cooked very quickly in a hot oven