great slave lake: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Geographic, Historical
Quick answer
What does “great slave lake” mean?
A large, deep lake in Canada's Northwest Territories, named after the Slavey First Nations people. It is the deepest lake in North America.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large, deep lake in Canada's Northwest Territories, named after the Slavey First Nations people. It is the deepest lake in North America.
A toponym referring to a specific major geographical feature in northern Canada, often used in geographical, historical, and environmental contexts. The term is a proper noun.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage; both refer to the same Canadian lake. Spelling is identical. Pronunciation may show minor variation.
Connotations
Primarily geographic/historical. No differing connotations between UK and US English.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in Canadian English due to local relevance. Equally low frequency in both UK and US general contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “great slave lake” in a Sentence
[Proper Noun] + [Verb] (e.g., Great Slave Lake freezes)[Preposition] + [Proper Noun] (e.g., near Great Slave Lake)[Proper Noun] + [is/lies] + [Location]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “great slave lake” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The expedition will great-slave-lake its way across the north. (Non-standard, hypothetical)
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts like resource extraction (mining), tourism, or logistics related to the region.
Academic
Used in geography, geology, climatology, and Indigenous studies papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Used in general discussions about Canada, geography, or travel.
Technical
Used in meteorological reports, hydrological studies, and geological surveys of the Canadian Shield.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “great slave lake”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “great slave lake”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “great slave lake”
- Writing 'Great Slave Lake' without capital letters (it's a proper name).
- Misspelling 'Slave' as 'Slavey' in the full name (though the people are the Slavey).
- Pronouncing 'Slave' with a short 'a' (/slæv/) instead of the diphthong /sleɪv/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The name derives from the Slavey (Dene) First Nations people. The term 'Slave' was a name given by rival Cree tribes and later adopted by European explorers.
In informal Canadian contexts, it is sometimes called 'Slave Lake', but this can cause confusion with the town of 'Slave Lake' in Alberta. For clarity, use the full name.
It is pronounced /sleɪv/, rhyming with 'save', not /slæv/ (like the common noun 'slave'). This is the standard pronunciation for the toponym.
It is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories and, at over 614 metres deep, it is the deepest lake in North America. It is also a crucial part of the Mackenzie River watershed and a focus of Indigenous history.
A large, deep lake in Canada's Northwest Territories, named after the Slavey First Nations people. It is the deepest lake in North America.
Great slave lake is usually formal, geographic, historical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'The GREATest lake in North America by depth, named after the SLAVEY people'.
Conceptual Metaphor
N/A (primarily a literal geographic referent).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'Slave' refer to in 'Great Slave Lake'?