Leicester

English

Etymology

From Middle English Ledecestre, from Old English Ligore (“the name of a people living by the River Soar”) + ċeaster (“settlement”). The river name is thought to be of Brythonic/Celtic origin and possibly from the same source as the river Loire.

Pronunciation

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈlɛstə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• (US) enPR: lĕsʹtər, IPA^(key): /ˈlɛstɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɛstə(ɹ)
• Homophone: Lester

Proper noun

Leicester

1. A city and unitary authority in and the county town of Leicestershire, England.
2. A town in Massachusetts, United States.
3. An English earldom.
4. A surname.

Related terms

• Border Leicester
• Leicestershire
• Leicestrian
• Red Leicester

Translations

city in England

• Armenian: Լեստեր (hy) (Lester)
• Bengali: লেস্টের (lesṭer)
• Bulgarian: Ле́стър m (Léstǎr)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 莱斯特 (zh) (Láisītè)

• Greek: Λέστερ (Léster)
• Gujarati: લેસ્ટર (lesṭar)
• Hindi: लेस्टर (lesṭar)
• Japanese: レスター (Resutā)
• Kannada: ಲೆಸ್ಟರ್ (lesṭar)
• Korean: 레스터 (Reseuteo)
• Lao: ເລສເຕີ (lēt tœ̄)
• Latvian: Lestera f
• Lithuanian: Lesteris m
• Macedonian: Лестер m (Lester)
• Marathi: लेस्टर n (lesṭar)
• Old French: Lecestre
• Persian: لستر (lester)
• Russian: Ле́стер (ru) m (Léstɛr)
• Sinhalese: ලෙස්‍ටර් (lesṭar)
• Tamil: லெஸ்டர் (lesṭar)
• Telugu: లెస్టర్ (lesṭar)
• Thai: เลสเตอร์
• Ukrainian: Ле́стер m (Léster)
• Urdu: لَیسٹر m (laisṭar)
• Welsh: Caerlŷr f

Noun

Leicester (plural Leicesters)

1. A sheep of an English breed, valued for its meat and fleece.
   • 1869, Sheep: Their Breeds, Management, and Diseases, page 328:

     The Leicesters and half-breds are purchased by farmers who keep no breeding stock: they are well turniped during the winter, and clipped and fattened in the following season.

Anagrams

• electrise