Sentence:  The term `` State '' means the several States , the District of Columbia , the Virgin Islands , Guam and Puerto Rico ; the term `` United States '' includes the several States and the District of Columbia and excludes the Virgin Islands , Guam and Puerto Rico , and , prior to 1962 , <WSD>Alaska</WSD> and Hawaii . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  a state in northwestern North America; the 49th state admitted to the union