Definition of COUNTY

county

Meanings

Plural: counties

Noun

  • (United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government
    • "the county has a population of 12,345 people"
  • (United States) the largest administrative district within a state
    • "the county plans to build a new road"
  • The land ruled by a count or a countess.
  • An administrative or geographical region of various countries, including Bhutan, Canada, China, Croatia, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, South Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and 47 of the 50 United States (excluding Alaska, Connecticut, and Louisiana).
  • A definitive geographic region, without direct administrative functions.
  • A jail operated by a county government.

Adj

  • Characteristic of a ‘county family’; representative of the gentry or aristocracy of a county.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English countee, counte, conte, from Anglo-Norman counté, Old French conté (French comté), from Latin comitātus (“jurisdiction of a count”), from comes (“count, earl”). Cognate with Spanish condado (“county”) and Italian contea (“county”). Doublet of comitatus, borrowed directly from Latin. Mostly displaced native Old English sċīr, whence Modern English shire.

Scrabble Score: 11

county is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
county is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
county is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

county is a valid Words With Friends word