noun a song or canto.
2. canton ·noun a small community or clan.
3. canton ·noun a small portion; a division; a compartment.
4. canton ·vi to allot separate quarters to, as to different parts or divisions of an army or body of troops.
5. canton ·vi to divide into small parts or districts; to mark off or separate, as a distinct portion or division.
6. canton ·noun a division of a shield occupying one third part of the chief, usually on the dexter side, formed by a perpendicular line from the top of the shield, meeting a horizontal line from the side.
7. canton ·noun a small territorial district; ·esp. one of the twenty-two independent states which form the swiss federal republic; in france, a subdivision of an arrondissement. ·see arrondissement.