What does shire mean?
A shire is a traditional administrative division of England, most often understood as a county. The word has a distinctly historical and literary quality, evoking the English countryside, local identity, and older forms of county administration, although it also appears in modern Australian terminology for local government areas. North American speakers usually encounter it in place names such as Yorkshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Warwickshire. In these compounds, shire refers to a county or historical division, while the whole name identifies a particular region. The word is useful because it preserves a visible layer of English history: many counties whose names end in -shire were once separate administrative units with their own traditions and identities. Although ordinary speakers generally use county in everyday British English, shire remains common in names, cultural references, and discussions of regional character.
nounA traditional administrative division of England, especially a county. In Australia, the term is also used for a local government area, and in North America it appears in the names of counties such as Yorkshire and Cheshire.
- A traditional administrative division of England, especially a county.
- An Australian local government area.
- A county or region whose name contains the word shire, especially in North America.
"The company expanded into several English counties, including one shire that was known for its agricultural land."
"Rural communities in the shire were affected by the unusually wet summer."
"The local council covers several suburbs and rural areas within the shire."
The plural is used when referring to more than one county, district, or Australian local government area.
"Several neighboring shires signed the conservation agreement."
Some of England's best-known counties do not contain the word county: Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire all preserve the old division in their names.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shire come from?
Shire comes from Old English scīr, meaning an administrative division or district. It developed into a word for a subdivision of a larger kingdom and, later, a county in England. The element survives in many English place names, including Yorkshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Warwickshire, where it reflects the historical use of shire rather than the modern administrative term county.
Related word forms
How shire is actually used
The word is chiefly historical or literary when referring to English counties, but it remains an official or familiar term in Australia. In North America, it is usually encountered within proper names rather than used as a common noun.
Easily confused with shire
A shire is a county or traditional district, whereas sheer means completely or steeply and can also describe fabric that is thin and transparent.