Meanings
- An island on the Atlantic coast of Canada, part of the province of Nova Scotia.
Synonyms: Cape Breton, CB
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounAn island on the Atlantic coast of Canada, part of the province of Nova Scotia.
Origin
Named after its easternmost point, Cape Breton, whose name has an uncertain etymology. One theory connects it to the Bretons of northwestern France which discovered Canada, and another connects it to the French commune Capbreton, where whalers and fishermen traded with the Miꞌkmaq of this island.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French Île du Cap-Breton
- Île du Cap-Bretonan island on the Atlantic coast of Canada
Irish Oileán Cheap Bhreatainn
- Oileán Cheap Bhreatainnan island on the Atlantic coast of Canada
Portuguese Cape Breton
- Cape Bretonan island on the Atlantic coast of Canada
Scottish Gaelic Eilean Cheap Bhreatainn
- Eilean Cheap Bhreatainnan island on the Atlantic coast of Canada
Spanish Cabo Bretón
- Cabo Bretónan island on the Atlantic coast of Canada
Cite this entry
Cape Breton Island. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cape%20Breton%20Island
“Cape Breton Island.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cape%20Breton%20Island. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Cape Breton Island,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cape%20Breton%20Island.
Source: Cape Breton Island on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.