Kettering

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A market town in Northamptonshire in central England ; a city in the state of Ohio in the American Midwest
2. A town in the English county of Northamptonshire ; a city located in Montgomery County, Ohio
3. A place name referring to a market town in central England ; the name of a city in the American state of Ohio

Etymology: Kettering is a town in Northamptonshire, England, and its name is older than any use of it as a common word. The place-name comes from Old English and was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 in forms such as "Chetrinc", which points to a settlement belonging to people called the descendants of Ketter, a personal name. The ending "-ing" marks a people or family group, so the original sense was roughly "the people of Ketter." As a verb, to kettle was a rare, later extension, while the modern noun and verb are both tied to that town. The word's most striking twist lies in its reputation: the town became known for its industries, and its name was attached to local products and activities in English usage rather than any clear, deliberate coinage.