English Reference

Word

berkshire

Phoneticsberk·shire

/ˈbɝkˌʃaɪɹ/

Definitions

01English county

B2

n. a county in southern England, located west of London, known for Windsor Castle.

n. a historic and ceremonial inland county of southern England, situated west of London and bounded by Oxfordshire and Hampshire.

“They spent the weekend visiting historic villages in the heart of Berkshire.”

“The Royal County of Berkshire is home to several significant landmarks, most notably Windsor Castle, which serves as an official residence of the British monarch.”

British English

02US mountain region

B2

n. a highland area in western Massachusetts known for its scenery and culture.

n. a highland geographic region in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut, often referred to as 'The Berkshires'.

“Many people from New York travel to the Berkshires for the summer music festivals.”

“The Berkshires offer a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural institutions, attracting thousands of tourists to western Massachusetts every autumn.”

American English

03breed of pig

C1

n. a famous breed of black pig that originally came from England.

n. a British breed of domestic pig, typically black with white points, valued for the quality of its meat.

“The farmer decided to raise Berkshire pigs because they are known for their high-quality pork.”

“Berkshire pork is highly prized by chefs worldwide for its superior marbling and tenderness compared to standard commercial breeds.”

Technical

Etymology

From Middle English Barrokschire, Berchesire, Barrokshyre, Berrucsire, from Old English Bearrocsċīr. The first element is possibly from Proto-Brythonic barrọg, perhaps meaning “hilly” (compare barros (“hill, peak, top”)) + Old English sċīr (“shire, county”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
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Frequent
Updated

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English Reference