Humber

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A river in northern England that flows into the North Sea, dividing the East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire
2. A geographical feature recognized for its role in trade and transport
3. The name of various locations and waterways associated with the historical and cultural significance of the area

Etymology: The Humber is the great estuary in northeast England where the rivers Ouse and Trent meet and empty into the North Sea, and its name has come down from Old English "Humbre." Beyond that, the word's early history is thin, and the Middle English form "Humber" is what the Old English passed into. Because the estuary was long a major route for shipping goods into the Yorkshire and Midlands interior, the name became a byword for the waterway itself, and the noun now carries that sense of a feature valued for trade and transport.

Synonyms: estuary, river mouth