noun
Uncommon
shire
sheye-uh
Shire (noun) means a county or administrative region, especially in England or Australia. Example: “The shire council met to discuss new roadworks.”
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."
"County Longford was shired in 1586."
"In Ulster the great chieftains had become peers of the realm. The province was shired into nine counties, with sheriffs and the whole apparatus of English local government."
— James Lydon, The End of the Old Order (1998)
How to use shire
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA county, or the act of organising land into counties.
Common pairings
shire council
the shires
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like shire.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- shires
- Past tense
- shired
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."
Synonyms
View more →
shire horse
Rhymes for shire
See all rhymes for shire →Frequently asked questions
What does “shire” mean?
The word “shire” means a county or administrative region, especially in England or Australia. In plain terms, a county, or the act of organising land into counties.
How do you pronounce “shire”?
“Shire” is pronounced sheye-uh (/ʃaɪ(ə)ɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “shire” in a sentence?
Here is “shire” used in a sentence: “The shire council met to discuss new roadworks.”
What part of speech is “shire”?
Depending on how it is used, “shire” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “shire” come from?
The word “shire” comes from Old English. From Old English sċīr, meaning an administrative district under an official, related to a root meaning "to care for" or "to oversee.".
Is “shire” a common word?
“Shire” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “shire” have?
“Shire” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a county or administrative region, especially in England or Australia.
