durham

IPA/ˈdʌr.əm/
KK[dˈɚəm]IPA/ˈdɜ˞.əm/

durham — noun

1. a historic settlement in the north-east of England, rising on a peninsula within

1.nounB1
Definition

a historic settlement in the north-east of England, rising on a peninsula within a loop of the River Wear and home to a Norman cathedral and castle that are World Heritage sites.

Example

Hugo visited Durham Cathedral last summer and took photos of its huge stone pillars.

proper noun as location object: visit + [place]

Min is studying archaeology at Durham University and lives in a flat near the river.

Common collocations
  • the city of Durham
  • Durham Cathedral
  • Durham Castle
  • Durham University
  • visit Durham
  • live in Durham
  • travel to Durham

Grammar Patterns

capitalised as proper name

Usage Note

Always capitalised as a proper noun. The city is distinct from the larger county of the same name that surrounds it.

Common Mistakes

I went to Durham city last year' (redundant).
I went to Durham last year.
'Durham' alone is enough to refer to the city in most contexts.

2. an area of northeastern England stretching from the Pennine hills in the west to

2.nounB1
Definition

an area of northeastern England stretching from the Pennine hills in the west to the North Sea coast in the east, with the city of Durham as its historic administrative centre.

Example

Asher grew up in a village in County Durham and went to school in the nearest town.

common form: County Durham (with capital C)

The landscape of County Durham is a mix of farmland, old mining villages, and river valleys.

Common collocations
  • County Durham
  • the county of Durham
  • in County Durham
  • from Durham county

Grammar Patterns

capitalised as proper name; often 'County Durham'

Usage Note

Often referred to as 'County Durham' (capital C) to distinguish the county from the city. When written as 'Durham' alone, context usually determines whether the city or the county is meant.

Common Mistakes

Durham county is a city in the UK.
County Durham is a county in northeastern England.
The county is a much larger area than the city.

Word family

  • Dunelmian
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Durham (the city), Newcastle upon Tyne, and York are all historic cities in northeastern England with medieval cathedrals, but each has a distinct identity. Durham is the smallest of the three, built on a compact peninsula around its Norman cathedral and castle, which together are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Newcastle is a larger city known for its bridges, nightlife, and industrial heritage, while York is famous for its Roman walls, the Minster, and the Shambles shopping street. 'Durham' can also refer to the surrounding county (County Durham), a much larger area of farmlands, former coal-mining towns, and coastline. When someone says 'I live in Durham,' they usually mean the city; a local would say 'I live in County Durham' for the county.

Durham ↗Newcastle upon TyneYork ↗County Durham

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Durham Cathedral
  • Durham Castle
  • Durham University
  • County Durham
  • city of Durham
  • county of Durham

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinEnglish

The name Durham comes from the Old English 'Dunholme,' meaning 'hill island' — a reference to the steep, hill-like peninsula formed by a sharp bend of the River Wear where the city was founded. The Latinised form 'Dunelmum' was used in medieval documents, and the modern spelling Durham emerged in later English. 'County Durham' gets its name from the city, as the county was historically the lands controlled by the Prince-Bishops of Durham.

First known use

1810

1810, in the meaning defined above