county etymology

Etymology

The word "county" is derived from the Old French word "cunté," which in turn is derived from the Latin word "comitatus." Comitatus originally referred to a group of companions or followers surrounding a leader or official.

Meaning

County generally refers to an administrative or political subdivision within a country. It can have different meanings and functions in different countries and contexts:

• United States: A county is a political and administrative subdivision of a state. It is typically governed by a county commission or board of supervisors.
• United Kingdom: A county is a traditional geographic and administrative subdivision of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. It typically has a county council or lord lieutenant.
• Ireland: County is an administrative and geographic division of the island of Ireland. Twenty-six counties form the Republic of Ireland, while six counties form Northern Ireland.
• Other Countries: In various other countries, such as France, Germany, and China, county may refer to different types of administrative or geographic subdivisions.

Origin

The concept of a county originated in the Roman Empire, where "comitatus" denoted a military entourage surrounding a general or provincial governor. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the term came to be used in various European countries to refer to administrative subdivisions.

• England: Counties were established in England during the 10th century as administrative units overseen by a sheriff. They evolved over centuries to become the historic counties that persist today.
• United States: Counties were established in the American colonies as subdivisions of states and territories. The concept was adopted from English county governance.
• Other Countries: In many other countries, counties or similar administrative divisions have been established over time, reflecting local traditions and political systems.

county relate terms

• count

  Etymology The word count originates from the Old French word conte which itself deri

• shire

  Etymology The word shire is derived from the Old English word scīr meaning a distr

• county

  Etymology The word county is derived from the Old French word cunté which in turn i

• Abitur

  Etymology Abitur is a German word derived from the Latin phrase abire to go away to d

• adit

  Etymology Sanskrit अद त aditi Proto Indo European h₂eti Meaning

• ambience

  Etymology The word ambience comes from the Latin word ambire meaning to surround o

• ambient

  Etymology Latin ambiēns present participle of ambīre to go around Meaning Su

• ambit

  Etymology The word ambit has Latin origins It derives from the Latin word ambire me

• ambition

  Etymology and Meaning of Ambition The word ambition comes from the Latin word ambitio

• ambitious

  Etymology Latin ambi meaning both around Latin īre meaning to go ous suff

• andante

  Etymology Andante is derived from the Italian present participle of andare meaning t

• anion

  Etymology From Ancient Greek anion ἀνιόν meaning going up Meaning A

• cation

  Etymology Derived from Late Latin cation meaning going down a word used by mediev

• circuit

  Etymology The word circuit is derived from Latin circuitus which means a going aro

• commence

  Etymology Latin com with together incipere to begin Meaning To start o

• commencement

  Etymology The word commencement originates from the Latin verb cominciare which mean

• concomitant

  Etymology From Late Latin concomitans present participle of concomitari to accompany

• constable

  Etymology The word constable comes from the Old French word conestable which itself

• count

  Etymology The word count originates from the Old French word conte which itself deri

• county

  Etymology The word county is derived from the Old French word cunté which in turn i

• dysprosium

  Etymology The element dysprosium is named after the Greek word dysprositos which means

• errant

  Etymology Errant originates from the Middle English term errand which itself derive

• exit

  Etymology The word exit comes from the Latin word exitus meaning a way out departu

• initial

  Etymology The word etymology comes from the Greek words etymon meaning true meanin

• initiate

  Etymology Originates from the Greek word etymologia which is composed of etymon tr

• initiation

  Etymology Latin initium beginning Meaning The act or process of initiating so

• introit

  Etymology The word introit is derived from the Latin word introitus which means ent

• issue

  Etymology The word issue originates from the Old French word issu which is the past

• itinerant

  Etymology The word itinerant originates from the Latin word iter meaning a journey o

• itinerary

  Etymology Medieval Latin itinerarium Latin iter journey arium place Mean

• janitor

  Etymology The word janitor comes from the Latin word janitor which means gatekeeper

• January

  Etymology From Late Latin Ianuarius named after Janus the Roman god of doorways and b

• Janus

  Etymology The name Janus is derived from the Proto Italic Ianus which is related to t

• Jena

  Etymology Jena is derived from the Old Sorbian a West Slavic language word žunja or

• Mahayana

  Etymology The term Mahayana is derived from the Sanskrit words maha meaning great o

• obituary

  Etymology The word obituary comes from the Latin word obitus which means death M

• perish

  Etymology Old French perir Latin perire from per meaning completely ire mean

• praetor

  Praetor Etymology Meaning and Origin Etymology The word praetor originates from the

• Praetorian

  Etymology The word praetorian originates from the Latin term praetorius which means

• preterite

  Etymology The word preterite derives from the Latin praeteritus meaning past or gon

• sedition

  Etymology Latin seditionem Root words se apart ire to go Meaning In

• sudden

  Etymology Sudden comes from the Latin word subitaneus meaning sudden unexpected ha

• trance

  Etymology The word trance comes from the Old French word trans to cross and the La

• transient

  Etymology The word transient is derived from the Latin word transire which means to

• transit

  Etymology Transit derives from the Latin word transire meaning to cross over or to

• transitive

  Etymology Transitive comes from the Latin word transire which means to pass through

• viscount

  Etymology and Meaning The word viscount is derived from the Late Latin vicecomes wh

• Bourbon

  Etymology The word bourbon is believed to have originated from Bourbon County Kentucky

• Kentucky

  Etymology The name Kentucky comes from the Iroquoian word Kentake which means land

• posse

  Etymology From the Latin possessio meaning ownership possession Meaning A g

• coroner

  Etymology The word coroner is derived from the Anglo Norman French word corouner whi

• button hole

  Etymology button Middle English from Old French boton or directly from Vulgar Latin b

• gerrymander

  Etymology and Meaning The word gerrymander is a portmanteau of gerry and salamander

• Chesterfield

  Etymology and Origin of Chesterfield The term Chesterfield has two distinct origins

• rapt

  Etymology The word rapt comes from the Latin word rapere meaning to seize or to c

• part

  Part Etymology Middle English in the sense portion portion of a whole from Old

• trap

  Etymology The word trap has origins in several languages Old English træppe Midd