Webster's English Dictionary

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county

1. coun.ty \'kau.nt-e-\ n [ME counte, fr. OF conte`, fr. ML comitatus, fr. 
   LL, office]of a count, fr. comit-, comes count - more at COUNT 1: the 
   domain of a count  2a: one of the territorial divisions of Great Britian 
   and Ireland constitut ing the chief units for administrative, judicial, and 
   political purposes 2b1: the people of a county  Brit  2b2: the gentry of a 
   county  3: the largest territorial division for local government within a 
   state of  the U.S. 4: the largest local administrative unit in various 
   countries 
2. county n [modif. of MF comte] obs  : COUNT