Durham
Language: English
Part of speech: name
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈdʌ.ɹəm/
ipa: /ˈdɝəm/
homophone: durum
Etymology: From Old English Dūnholm, meaning "hill islet". In order to get from Dunholm to Durham, two major processes had to take place. Firstly, the n at the coda of the first syllable, dun, underwent dissimilation. Specifically, by influence of the m in the coda of the following syllable (holm), said n denasalised and lenited to the oral r, thus dur. Secondly, after a weakening of the vowel quality in the more weakly-stressed syllable holm, this ending was misanalysed as the similar-sounding toponymic suffix, -ham, meaning home or farm.
Doublet of Duresm and Dunelm.
Senses: glosses: A county in the Northeast of England; in full, County Durham.
glosses: A city, the county town of County Durham, England.
glosses: A unitary authority of County Durham, which replaced the county council in 2009 in all of County Durham except Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees; in full, Durham County Council.
glosses: An English habitational surname from Old English from the city in England.
glosses: An outback town in Queensland, Australia.
glosses: A locale in Canada.
A community in New Brunswick; named for Lord Durham, Governor General of Canada.
glosses: A locale in Canada.
A community in West Grey, Grey County, Ontario.
glosses: A locale in Canada.
A regional municipality east of Toronto Ontario; in full, Regional Municipality of Durham.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A township and unincorporated community in Washington County, Arkansas.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A census-designated place in Butte County, California; named for California politician W. W. Durham.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A town and census-designated place therein, in Middlesex County, Connecticut; named for the city in England.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
An unincorporated community in Walker County, Georgia; named for Durham Coal and Coke Company.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A township in Hancock County, Illinois.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
An unincorporated community in Gibson County, Indiana.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A minor city in Marion County, Kansas; named for the breed of cattle.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A town in Androscoggin County, Maine; named for County Durham, England.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
An unincorporated community in Lewis County, Missouri; named for a railroad employee.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A town and census-designated place therein, in Strafford County, New Hampshire.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A town in Greene County, New York; named for the town in Connecticut.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A city, the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina; named for landowner Bartlett S. Durham.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A township in Durham County, North Carolina, most of which is in the city.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
An unincorporated community in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma; named for postmaster Doris Durham Morris.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A city in Washington County, Oregon; named for pioneer and Oregon Territory legislator Alberto Alonzo Durham.
glosses: A locale in the United States.
A township and unincorporated community therein, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Derived terms: County Durham
Durham boat
Durham County
Durhamism
Durhamite
Durham rule
New Durham