Worcester

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A city in the West Midlands region of central England, historically known for its cathedral and porcelain manufacture
2. An English city located in the county of Worcestershire, notable as a traditional center of ceramic production and ecclesiastical importance
3. A historic city in the English Midlands famous for its distinctive china and its position as a seat of a medieval cathedral

Etymology: Worcester is a place name, the English city on the River Severn, and its name carries a Roman military past. The city's name began as Weogornaċeaster in Old English, which means "Roman fort of the Weogoran." The Weogoran were the people who lived in this area, and the "ceaster" element comes from Latin "castra," meaning camp, which Anglo-Saxon settlers applied to the old Roman fortifications they found standing there. Over the centuries the name wore down through Middle English forms such as Wirchestre and Wirechestre, gradually shedding its tribal name and its Roman association until only the "-cester" ending was left to recall the fort. The same "-cester" or "-chester" ending appears in many English town names, such as Gloucester, Leicester, and Manchester, all of which descend from Roman forts.