1. 1. A small territorial division of a country, especially one of the states of Switzerland.
   2. A subdivision of an arrondissement in France.
2. Heraldry. A small, square division of a shield, usually in the upper right corner.
3. A usually rectangular division of a flag, occupying the upper corner next to the staff.

[French, from Old French, from Old Italian cantone, augmentative of canto, corner, from Vulgar Latin *cantus. See cant¹.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.