Detroits

Detroits may refer to multiple uses depending on language and context. In French, détroits is the plural of détroit, meaning strait. The word is used in geographic naming to describe narrow sea passages that connect two larger bodies of water and separate landmasses. In cartography and navigation, détroits appear in maps of coastal regions and are often part of place names.

In English-language usage, Detroits is not standard for any specific place; it is sometimes seen as a misspelling or anglicized variant of Detroit, the city in Michigan. The city takes its name from the Detroit River, and both names trace back to the French phrase Rivière du Détroit, or river of the strait, used by early French explorers who navigated the area in the 17th century. Detroit is a major urban center known for its historical role in the automotive industry as well as its contributions to music and culture, though that description concerns the city rather than the term Detroits.

Detroits can also appear as a rare surname in French-speaking contexts, but it is uncommon and not widely documented in English-language sources. In standard usage, détroit and détroits are the correct French terms for strait and its plural, while Detroit is the proper English spelling for the Michigan city. See also détroit, détroits, and Detroit for related terms.