noun
shire
sheye-uh
noun
1
A county or administrative region, especially in England or Australia.
"The shire council met to discuss new roadworks."
verb
1
To divide a region into shires or counties.
"The kingdom was shired for easier local governance."
How to Use Shire
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA county, or the act of organising land into counties.
Common pairings
shire council
the shires
Word Forms
shired past tense, Shires plural, shires singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “shire”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ council met to discuss new roadworks.
Etymology
From Old English sċīr, meaning an administrative district under an official, related to a root meaning "to care for" or "to oversee."