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Glite Dictionary
Northumberland

Northumberland

3 6.5
A county in northern England known for Hadrian's Wall
  • proper noun
: Northumberland
  • In 793, some ships came to the eastern shoreline of Northumberland, at a monastery on Lindisfarne (Holy Island).
  • county of Northumberland
  • Duke of Northumberland

Yesterday I was in Northumberland, in Yorkshire, Cumbria and Bedford.

Examples

  • Yesterday I was in Northumberland, in Yorkshire, Cumbria and Bedford.

    Rob Moore

  • Lindisfarne Island, Northumberland.

    Cul-de-sac (1966)

  • Jane, you know the Duke of Northumberland.

    Lady Jane (1986)

  • The boy will return to Northumberland, where he will marry the Talbot girl as arranged.

    The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

  • My quality of life has also improved; I live in Northumberland and commute.

    Academic text (2010)

  • The family of Gray is of great antiquity in Northumberland.

    Blog text (32)

  • It will make her the future Duchess of Northumberland.

    The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

  • When people in the midstate think of Northumberland County, they tend to think of a more rural landscape.

    Blog text (15)

  • In 1415, it was recorded that Northumberland had 113 castles and pele-towers.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Northumberland is famous for its stunning landscapes and historical sites like Northumberland.

Surface Forms

Northumberland main

Morphology

Northumberland = north + Humber + land (semi-transparent) = north + Humber + land

The components 'north' and 'land' are clear, but the element 'Humber' is a specific place-name (a river) that many learners may not know, so the county name's meaning is only partly obvious.

Etymology

Northumberland comes from the words north ('north'), the river Humber, and land ('area'). So Northumberland literally means 'land north of the Humber', which explains why it is the northern county of England.