Hillingdon

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large borough in the western part of Greater London, known for its suburban areas and Heathrow Airport
2. An outer London local government district in the west of the capital, covering areas such as Uxbridge and Ruislip
3. A west London borough whose territory includes Heathrow Airport and several towns in the Greater London area

Etymology: Hillingdon began as an Old English settlement name, so its meaning reflects a community and its setting rather than a coined term. The first element is most likely a personal name, probably Hild or Hilda, combined with the suffix "-ing", meaning "people of" or "followers of". The final element is "dun", meaning "hill", which appears in many English place names and survives in the word "down". The name therefore most likely means "hill of Hilda's people". Its later spellings shifted over the centuries, which is typical of place names that were written down by different scribes in different periods. The name now belongs to the London Borough of Hillingdon in west London, a modern administrative use of an older village name.