Gosport

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A seaside town on the south coast of Hampshire in England, known for its naval associations ; a flexible speaking tube once used in aircraft for communication between crew members
2. A port town on the Hampshire coast of southern England with strong naval ties ; a type of voice tube historically fitted in aeroplanes so crew could talk to one another
3. A coastal settlement in Hampshire, southern England, linked to the Royal Navy ; an early aircraft intercom made from a rubber or fabric tube carrying speech between pilot and passengers

Etymology: Gosport is a coastal town on the Hampshire side of Portsmouth Harbour, and its name is one of those that historians can offer several explanations for without settling on one. The most commonly proposed origins are "goose" and "gorse," both plausible for a place on this shore, and a more devout reading, "God's port," which imagines a harbour once dedicated to a religious purpose. Each idea has its supporters, and none has been proven. The name is a compound of "port," meaning a harbour or haven, from Latin "portus," with the first element being the uncertain part. The town's identity has always been tied to the water rather than to any single explanation of its name, so the uncertainty about its beginnings is the most honest thing to say about it.