-shire
See also: shire
English
Etymology
See shire.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /-ʃə/, /-ʃɪə/, /-ʃaɪə/ (see usage notes)
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GA" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /-ʃɚ/, /-ʃɪ(ə)ɹ/, /-ʃaɪɚ/ (see usage notes)
Suffix
-shire
- A combining form used in the names of British counties.
Usage notes
While multiple pronunciations are given above for this suffix, they are not freely interchangeable. In normal usage, most counties take /-ʃə(ɹ)/, though /-ʃɪə(ɹ)/ is also possible. However, in the names of some Scottish counties, it is sometimes pronounced as /-ʃaɪə(ɹ)/ (Scottish English /-ʃʌɪɹ/), reflecting the local pronunciation. Speakers of Scottish English may extend this pronunciation to all county names; it is also quite common in American English for county names (but not for American locales named after them).
See also
References
- “-shire”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.