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County vs District - What's the difference?

county | district |

As nouns the difference between county and district

is that county is the land ruled by a count or a countess while district is an administrative division of an area.

As adjectives the difference between county and district

is that county is characteristic of a ‘county family’; representative of the gentry or aristocracy of a county while district is rigorous; stringent; harsh.

As a verb district is

to divide into administrative or other districts.

As a proper noun District is

the District of Columbia, the federal district of the United States.

county

English

Noun

(counties)
  • (historical) The land ruled by a count or a countess.
  • An administrative region of various countries, including Bhutan, Canada, China, Croatia, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro and Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
  • A definitive geographic region, without direct administrative functions.
    • traditional county

    Usage notes

    * In American usage, counties are almost always designated as such, with the word "County" capitalized and following the name — e.g., "Lewis County", rarely "Lewis", and never "County Lewis." * In British usage, counties are referenced without designation — e.g. "Kent" and never "Kent County". The exception is Durham, which is often "County Durham" (but never "Durham County"). An organisation such as Kent County Council is the "County Council" of "Kent" and not the "Council" of "Kent County". * In Irish usage, counties are frequently referenced, but like Durham precede the name — e.g., "County Cork" or "Cork" and never "Cork County."

    Derived terms

    * countyhood * countywide * another county heard from * traditional county

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Characteristic of a ‘county family’; representative of the gentry or aristocracy of a county.
  • *1979 , , Smiley's People , Folio Society 2010, p. 274:
  • *:She was a tall girl and county , with Hilary's walk: she seemed to topple even when she sat.

    • district

    English

    (wikipedia district)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An administrative division of an area.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
    • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=Foreword citation , passage=‘I understand that the district was considered a sort of sanctuary,’ the Chief was saying. ‘An Alsatia like the ancient one behind the Strand, or the Saffron Hill before the First World War. […]’}}
    the Soho district of London
  • An area or region marked by some distinguishing feature.
    • the Lake District in Cumbria
  • (UK) An administrative division of a county without the status of a borough.
    • South Oxfordshire District Council

    Derived terms

    * congressional district * districthood * electoral district * school district

    Related terms

    * districtual

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To divide into administrative or other s.

    • Derived terms

    * redistrict

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) rigorous; stringent; harsh
  • * Foxe
    • punishing with the rod of district severity

    External links

    * * * ----