Yorkshire

noun

York·​shire ˈyȯrk-ˌshir How to pronounce Yorkshire (audio) -shər How to pronounce Yorkshire (audio)
: a white swine of any of several breeds or strains originated in Yorkshire, England

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Yorkshire was in 1869

Dictionary Entries Near Yorkshire

Cite this Entry

“Yorkshire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Yorkshire. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Geographical Definition

Yorkshire

geographical name

York·​shire ˈyȯrk-ˌshir How to pronounce Yorkshire (audio) -ˌshər How to pronounce Yorkshire (audio)
1
or York former county of northern England roughly bounded by the North Sea on the east, the Humber River on the south, the Pennine Chain on the west, and the county of Durham on the north and comprising the city of York and the (former) administrative counties of East Rid*ing \ ˈrī-​diŋ How to pronounce Yorkshire (audio) \ (capital Beverley), North Riding (capital Northallerton), and West Riding (capital Wakefield)

Note: Yorkshire was England's largest county in area until the 1974 reorganization.

2
historical region of northern England roughly equivalent to the former county and centered on present-day North Yorkshire

More from Merriam-Webster on Yorkshire

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!