County: meaning, definitions and examples

🏞️

Add to dictionary

county

[ ˈkaʊnti ]

^{Context #1}

local government

A geographical area within a country that has its own local government and administration.

Synonyms

district, region, territory

Examples of usage

There are 58 counties in California.
The county council is responsible for local services such as schools and libraries.
In some states, the sheriff is the highest law enforcement officer in the county.

^{Context #2}

legal

An administrative division of a state or country, typically with its own seat of government.

Synonyms

jurisdiction, province, territorial division

Examples of usage

The county courthouse is where legal matters are heard and decided.
She serves as the county attorney, representing the government in legal matters.
The county commissioner oversees the budget and policies of the local government.

Translations

Translations of the word "county" in other languages:

🇵🇹 condado

🇮🇳 काउंटी

🇩🇪 Bezirk

Grafschaft
Landkreis

🇮🇩 kabupaten

🇺🇦 графство

🇵🇱 hrabstwo

🇯🇵 郡 (gun)

🇫🇷 comté

🇪🇸 condado

🇹🇷 ilçe

🇰🇷 군 (gun)

🇸🇦 مقاطعة (muqaṭaʿa)

🇨🇿 hrabství

🇸🇰 grófstvo

🇨🇳 郡 (jùn)

🇸🇮 grofija

🇮🇸 sýsla

🇰🇿 графтық

🇬🇪 გრაფობა (grafoba)

🇦🇿 qəza

🇲🇽 condado

Word origin

The word 'county' originated from the Old French 'conte' meaning 'companion' or 'count'. It was used in medieval England to refer to the territories ruled by a count or earl. Over time, the meaning evolved to represent an administrative division of a country or state with its own local government. The concept of counties has been a fundamental part of governance in many countries, providing a framework for local administration and services.