Cambridge
/ˈkeɪm.bɹɪd͡ʒ/ proper noun
Forms Cambrige
- proper noun A city and local government district with borough status in Cambridgeshire, England, famous for its university.
- proper noun A village in Slimbridge parish, Stroud district, Gloucestershire, England, situated on the local River Cam (OS grid ref SO7403).
- proper noun A city in Washington County, Idaho, United States.
- proper noun A village, the county seat of Henry County, Illinois, United States.
- proper noun A city, the county seat of Dorchester County, Maryland, United States.
- proper noun A city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, famous for being the location of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was formerly one of the county seats.
- proper noun A city, the county seat of Isanti County, Minnesota, United States.
- proper noun A city, the county seat of Guernsey County, Ohio, United States.
Synonyms
Etymology
From late Middle English Cambrigge, Caumbrigge, from earlier Cantebrigge, Cauntebrigge, from Old English Grante bryċġ, Granta-briċġ, Grantanbryċġ (“Granta bridge”). The river name Granta is probably of Celtic origin. The modern pronunciation with /eɪ/ develops from Middle English /aː/, which develops from earlier /au̯/ before /m/ (as in Middle English chambre for earlier chaumbre).
By Middle English when the name of the settlement had changed to "Cantebrigge" and eventually "Cambridge", the lower stretches of the River Granta were renamed Cam by back-formation from Cambridge.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “Cambridge”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details