name
Common
Bristol
BRIHS-tuhl
Bristol (name) means a city in southwest England, and by extension numerous smaller towns of the same name in the US, Canada, and elsewhere. Example: “They caught the early train from Bristol to London.”
name
1
A city in southwest England, and by extension numerous smaller towns of the same name in the US, Canada, and elsewhere.
"They caught the early train from Bristol to London."
noun
1
Short for Bristol board, a smooth, heavyweight paper or card stock used for drawing, printing, and craft work.
"The illustrator preferred bristol for her finished pen-and-ink pieces."
2
(vulgar slang, British) A woman's breast.
"The joke relied entirely on rhyming slang for "Bristol.""
How to use Bristol
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMainly the well-known English city; also a term for a type of heavy drawing paper, and in British slang (via rhyming slang), a crude term for a woman's breast.
Common pairings
a sheet of bristol
Bristol board
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Word forms
- Plural
- Bristols
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They caught the early train from _____ to London.
Etymology
From Old English Bryċġstōw, literally "the place by the bridge," which evolved through Middle English Bristowe into the modern spelling.
Rhymes for Bristol
See all rhymes for Bristol →Frequently asked questions
What does “Bristol” mean?
The word “Bristol” means a city in southwest England, and by extension numerous smaller towns of the same name in the US, Canada, and elsewhere. In plain terms, mainly the well-known English city; also a term for a type of heavy drawing paper, and in British slang (via rhyming slang), a crude term for a woman's breast.
How do you pronounce “Bristol”?
“Bristol” is pronounced BRIHS-tuhl (/ˈbɹɪstəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “Bristol” in a sentence?
Here is “Bristol” used in a sentence: “They caught the early train from Bristol to London.”
What part of speech is “Bristol”?
Depending on how it is used, “Bristol” can be a name and a noun.
Where does the word “Bristol” come from?
The word “Bristol” comes from Old English. From Old English Bryċġstōw, literally "the place by the bridge," which evolved through Middle English Bristowe into the modern spelling.
Is “Bristol” a common word?
“Bristol” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Bristol” have?
“Bristol” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a city in southwest England, and by extension numerous smaller towns of the same name in the US, Canada, and elsewhere.
What is Bristol board used for?
Bristol board — often shortened to "bristol" — is a smooth, heavyweight paper or card stock used for drawing, printing, and craft work. Its stiff, smooth surface takes ink and marker cleanly, which makes it a favorite for illustration and comic art.
Where is Bristol in England?
Bristol is a city in southwest England and the largest city in that region. Its name has also spread abroad: numerous smaller towns in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere are called Bristol.
Why are so many towns in America called Bristol?
They take their name from the English port city, carried across the Atlantic by settlers — a common pattern for British place names in North America. The dictionary entry for Bristol therefore covers both the original city in southwest England and its overseas namesakes.
Is bristol capitalized when it refers to the paper?
The place name Bristol is always capitalized. For the card stock, both "Bristol board" and lowercase "bristol board" appear in print, and artists often write simply "bristol"; lowercase is common when the word acts as an ordinary noun for the material.
