Word
cambridge
Phoneticscam·bridge
/ˈkeɪmbɹɪdʒ/
Definitions
01city in England
n. a city in the east of England, famous for its very old and respected university.
n. a city and local government district in Cambridgeshire, England, internationally recognised as the seat of the University of Cambridge.
“We spent the weekend in Cambridge and went for a boat ride on the river.”
“The historic centre of Cambridge is dominated by the college buildings, many of which date back to the Middle Ages.”
02the university
n. the University of Cambridge, one of the top universities in the world.
n. a metonymic reference to the University of Cambridge as an institution or its academic standards.
“She is hoping to study science at Cambridge next year.”
“Securing a place at Cambridge requires not only top grades but also a successful performance in a rigorous interview process.”
03city in Massachusetts
n. a city in the United States, near Boston, where Harvard University is located.
n. a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, notable for being the home of Harvard University and MIT.
“Many students live in Cambridge because it is close to their classes at Harvard.”
“Cambridge, Massachusetts, has evolved into a global hub for biotechnology and technological innovation due to its proximity to elite research institutions.”
American English
Etymology
From Middle English Cantebrigge, Grentebrige, from Old English Grante bryċġ, Granta-briċġ, Grantanbryċġ (“Granta bridge”). The river name Granta is probably of Celtic origin. By Middle English when the name of the settlement had changed to "Cantebrigge" and eventually "Cambridge", the lower stretches of the River Granta were renamed Cam by back-formation from Cambridge.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.