County
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -aÊŠnti
Origin
From Anglo-Norman counte, from Old French conté (French comté), from Late Latin comitatus ("jurisdiction of a count"), from Latin comes ("count, earl").
Full definition of county
Noun
county
(plural counties)- (historical) The land ruled by a count or a countess.
- An administrative region of various countries, including Bhutan, Canada, China, Croatia, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro and Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- A definitive geographic region, without direct administrative functions.traditional county
Usage notes
In American usage, counties are almost always designated as such, with the word "County" capitalized and following the name — e.g., "Lewis County", rarely "Lewis", and never "County Lewis."
In British usage, counties are referenced without designation — e.g. "Kent" and never "Kent County". The exception is Durham, which is often "County Durham" (but never "Durham County"). An organisation such as Kent County Council is the "County Council" of "Kent" and not the "Council" of "Kent County".
In Irish usage, counties are frequently referenced, but like Durham precede the name — e.g., "County Cork" or "Cork" and never "Cork County."