Etymograph

English

Herefordshire

Herefordshire comes from Old English sċīr ‘shire’, and goes back to Proto-West Germanic *skīru ‘office, district’.

  1. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skīru‘office, district’reconstructed
  2. Old Englishc. 450–1150sċīr‘shire’
  3. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150Herefordsċīrnext step skipped: Middle English late
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Herefordschire
  5. EnglishtodayHerefordshire

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skīru‘office, district’reconstructed
  2. Old Englishc. 450–1150sċīr‘shire’
  3. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150Herefordsċīrnext step skipped: Middle English late
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Herefordschire
  5. EnglishtodayHerefordshire

Formed from Hereford + -shire

Old English Hereford

Middle English Hereford

English Hereford

Every English word from Proto-West Germanic *skīru

Today it means

name A ceremonial county and unitary authority in the West Midlands of England, bordered by Shropshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Radnorshire and Brecknockshire.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *skīru / Herefordshire

Shirt and support for this word