ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wiltshire

n. uncountable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈwɪɫˌtʃaɪɹ// wilt·shire

n. a large county in South West England. It is famous for its beautiful countryside and ancient stone circles like Stonehenge.

n. a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England, characterised by its chalk downlands and Neolithic monuments.


SIMPLE

We spent our summer holiday exploring the villages of Wiltshire.

CONTEXTUAL

The ancient monument of Stonehenge is located on the Salisbury Plain in the heart of Wiltshire.

COMPLEX

Wiltshire remains a predominantly rural county, where the agricultural landscape is punctuated by significant archaeological sites that draw thousands of international tourists each year.

Origin

From Middle English Wilteschire, from Old English Wiltūnsċīr (Wiltescire 1086 Domesday Book), named after the town of Wilton in the county (Old English Wiltūn).

Usage

As a proper noun referring to a specific geographic region, it is typically used without an article.

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