# Leicester

/ˈɫɛstɝ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/leicester
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. city in England

noun · CEFR B1

a large, historic city in the East Midlands of England.

For teachers: a city and unitary authority in England, serving as the county town of Leicestershire.

- We took the train from London to Leicester to visit the university.
- Leicester gained international attention in 2012 when the remains of King Richard III were discovered beneath a city council car park.

### 2. sports teams

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a way to refer to the professional sports teams from the city, like their football or rugby clubs.

For teachers: a metonymic reference to the city's professional sports organisations, most notably Leicester City Football Club or Leicester Tigers.

- Leicester are playing at home this Saturday against Manchester United.
- In 2016, Leicester defied all statistical odds to secure the Premier League title, a feat widely regarded as one of the greatest sporting upsets.

Usage: In British English, when referring to the team, the word often takes a plural verb (e.g., 'Leicester are').

### 3. breed of sheep

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of English sheep known for having long, high-quality wool.

For teachers: a breed of long-woolled sheep originating in Leicestershire, valued for both its fleece and meat production.

- The farmer decided to raise Leicester sheep because of their excellent wool.
- The Dishley Leicester was developed by Robert Bakewell in the 18th century, revolutionising livestock breeding through selective mating for improved carcass quality.

## Examples

- I am taking the train to Leicester tomorrow morning.
- The discovery of King Richard III's remains under a parking lot brought international attention to Leicester.
- As one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United Kingdom, Leicester serves as a prominent model for multicultural integration and community cohesion within a post-industrial urban landscape.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.