# Surrey

/ˈsɝi/ (US) · /sˈʌɹi/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. a county in England

noun · CEFR B1

a county in South East England, located just south of London.

For teachers: an inland county of South East England, bordered by Greater London, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire.

- Many people who work in London choose to live in Surrey for the countryside.
- The administrative centre of Surrey was historically located in Kingston upon Thames, although the town was technically absorbed into Greater London in 1965.

### 2. a horse-drawn carriage

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · American English

a light carriage pulled by a horse, usually with two rows of seats and a flat top.

For teachers: a light, four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with two forward-facing seats, often featuring a flat top with fringe.

- The old film showed a family riding through the park in a horse-drawn surrey.
- The surrey with the fringe on top became a cultural icon in the United States following its prominent mention in the musical Oklahoma.

Usage: Usually refers to the historical vehicle popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

## Examples

- The family rode to the fair in a horse-drawn surrey.
- In the musical Oklahoma!, the characters sing about a surrey with a fringe on top.
- Before the widespread adoption of the automobile, the surrey served as a common family vehicle for Sunday outings and trips into town.

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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.