Hampstead

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A residential area in north London known for its historic houses, cultural institutions, and proximity to Hampstead Heath
2. A district of London in the north of the city, famous as an affluent neighborhood with literary and artistic associations
3. An area in northern London characterized by Georgian and Victorian architecture, open parkland, and a long history as a cultural center

Etymology: Hampstead is a place name before it is anything else: the north London district, with its famous heath, takes its name from two Old English elements, "hām" meaning "homestead" or "home village" and "stede" meaning "place" or "site." Put together, the name describes a settlement that was simply a homestead on a site. The same pair of words lies behind countless English place names, and the spelling settled into its present form over the centuries. The noun has an interesting partner. "Hempstead," a name that appears across England, is a doublet of Hampstead: the two come from the same source, and the vowel differences reflect regional and historical spelling and pronunciation variation rather than separate origins. In other words, the two place names are the same old words worn down in different ways.