1. A group of five freshwater lakes of central North America between the United States and Canada, including Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. The Great Lakes connect Midwestern ports with the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway.

2. A group of several large lakes in the vicinity of the Great Rift Valley in eastern Africa. The group is generally considered to include Lakes Victoria, Albert, Edward, Kivu, Tanganyika, and Nyasa.