ˈkauntɪ n. & adj. --n. (pl. -ies) 1 a
any of
the territorial divisions of
some countries, forming the
chief unit of
local administration. b US a
political and administrative division of a
State. 2 the
people of a county,
esp. the leading families. --adj. having the
social status or characteristics of county families. øcounty
borough hist. a
large borough
ranking as a county
for administrative purposes. county
corporate hist. a
city or
town ranking as an administrative county. county
council the elected governing
body of an administrative county. county
court a
judicial court for
civil cases (in the US for civil and
criminal cases). county cricket cricket matches
between teams representing counties. county
family an
aristocratic family
with an
ancestral seat in a county. County Palatine the
territory of a Count or
Earl Palatine. county town (US seat) the administrative capital of a county. [ME f. AF count÷, OF cont÷, cunt÷, f. L comitatus (as COUNT(2))]
