Belfast

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. The capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, located on the east coast of the island of Ireland
2. The principal city of Northern Ireland, situated on the River Lagan in the eastern part of the province
3. A major city and the administrative center of Northern Ireland, positioned on the northeastern coast of the island

Etymology: Belfast is a place name, and its meaning is more literal than most. The Irish "Béal Feirste" translates as "mouth of the River Farset," where "béal" means mouth and the Farset was a small river that flowed into the lough at the city's site. The name describes exactly where the water met the land, and the city grew up around that confluence. Over time the Irish name was reshaped into English as "Belfast," and the Irish-language form remains the source of the modern spelling. The river itself has largely disappeared from view, its course now buried beneath the streets, so the name survives as a record of a waterway most residents never see.