Winchester

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of lever-action or bolt-action rifle known for its use in hunting and military contexts ; a brand name associated with firearms and ammunition ; a historic town in southern England noted for its cathedral and ancient Roman heritage
2. A popular model of repeating rifle favored for sport shooting and hunting ; a company recognized for manufacturing firearms and related products ; a historic city once the capital of England famous for medieval architecture
3. A specific design of firearm widely used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for hunting and warfare ; a well-known firearms manufacturer ; a city with significant historical importance and cultural landmarks in southwest England

Etymology: The name carries three layers of history. The town came first: Old English "Wintanceaster" was the Anglo-Saxon name for the place the Romans had called Venta Belgarum, "Venta of the Belgae." The Old English second element, "ceaster," came from Latin "castra," meaning "camp," so the name records a Roman fortified settlement that the Saxons later took over and renamed. The first part, "Wint-," is thought to go back to a Celtic word for "town" or "place," though its exact path is uncertain. Over the centuries the spelling drifted through Middle English forms such as "Wynchester" and "Winchestre" to the modern city in Hampshire, famous for its cathedral and for having been an early capital of England. The rifle and the other items carry the name for a different reason. The Winchester repeating rifle was named after the American businessman Oliver Winchester (1810–1880), whose company made it. Winchester ammunition and the bottle and computer-disk senses take their names from the rifle or the town, not from the Roman or Saxon past.