Irwell

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A river in northwest England that flows through Manchester and Salford before joining the River Mersey
2. A watercourse in Lancashire in northwest England that runs through the cities of Manchester and Salford
3. A northwestern English river rising in the Pennines and flowing south through Greater Manchester toward the Mersey

Etymology: The River Irwell flows through Greater Manchester, and its name is far older than English. It most likely comes from a pre-English Celtic (Brittonic) name, but its exact meaning is uncertain, and proposed roots are not confirmed. Anglo-Saxon settlers probably took over the existing name rather than coining one. Its ending, "-well," resembles the English word for a spring, which may have helped it stick in speakers' minds, though that resemblance does not prove the name's origin. The Roman fort of Mamucium stood near where the river meets the Medlock, and the name appears in medieval records in forms that show it had long been in use.