Des Moines

/dəˈmɔɪn//dəˈmɔɪnz/

proper noun

The capital city of Iowa, United States and the county seat of Polk County, named after the river.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. The capital city of Iowa, United States and the county seat of Polk County, named after the river.
  2. Eight townships in Iowa, in eight different counties.
  3. A township in Jackson County, Minnesota, named after the river.
  4. A village in Union County, New Mexico.
  5. A city in King County, Washington.
  6. A river in Minnesota and Iowa, United States, that flows from southern Minnesota into the Mississippi.

Origin

From the French name of the nearby Rivière des Moines, which superficially means "river of the monks" and has traditionally been interpreted as a reference to the Trappist monks who settled along it. "It is more likely, however, to be a name of Native American origin, recorded in a 1673 text as moinguena", a Miami designation of the Moingona. The precise interpretation is uncertain; see Moingona.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian Де Мойн
  • Де Мойн (De Mojn)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Chinese Mandarin 德梅因
  • 德梅因 (Déméiyīn)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Czech Des Moines
  • Des Moinesthe capital city of the state of Iowa
Danish Des Moines
  • Des Moinesthe capital city of the state of Iowa
German Des Moines
  • Des Moinesthe capital city of the state of Iowa
Greek Ντε Μόιν
  • Ντε Μόιν (Nte Móin)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Hindi डी मोइन
  • डी मोइन (ḍī moin)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Japanese デモイン
  • デモイン (De Moin)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Korean 디모인
  • 디모인 (dimoin)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Latin Monachopolis
  • Monachopolisthe capital city of the state of Iowa
Latvian Demoina
  • Demoinathe capital city of the state of Iowa
Lithuanian De Moinas
  • De Moinasthe capital city of the state of Iowa
Russian Де-Мойн
  • Де-Мойн (De-Mojn)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Thai ดิมอยน์
  • ดิมอยน์ (dì moi)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Ukrainian Де-Мойн
  • Де-Мойн (De-Mojn)the capital city of the state of Iowa
Yiddish דע מוין
  • דע מוין (de moyn)the capital city of the state of Iowa

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with Des Moines

joincoingroinloinsirloinrejoinenjoinadjoinquoinconjoincoigndisjoinfoingroyneobsidional coinpurloinsubjoinThe Groyne
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

Des Moines. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Des%20Moines

MLA

“Des Moines.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Des%20Moines. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Des Moines,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Des%20Moines.

Source: Des Moines on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.