Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CAN'TON, n. [It. cantone, a corner-stone, and a canton; Sp. canton; Port. canto, a corner; Fr. canton, a corner, a part of a country, a district; Arm. canton; D. kant; G. kante; D. kandt; a corner, point, edge, border. The Welsh unites canton with cant, a hundred, L. centum, Sax. hund, for cantrev is a circuit or division of a country, from cant, a hundred.]

1. A small portion of land, or division of territory; originally, a portion of territory on a border; also, the inhabitants of a canton.
2. A small portion or district of territory, constituting a distinct state or government, as in Switzerland.
3. In heraldry, a corner of the shield.
4. A distinct part, or division; as, the cantons of a painting or other representation. – Burnet.