LETTER BANK XXXIII

The letters of an eight-letter word, repeated as necessary, can make up the postal abbreviations of 15 U.S. states. What is the word, and what are the 15 states?

 

Answer:

 

The word is DOMINATE:

 

DE

ID

IA

IN

MA

MD

ME

MI

MN

MO

MT

ND

NE

NM

TN