kingston
/ˈkɪŋ.stən/ noun, proper noun
Forms kingstons
- noun monkfish, angel shark (Squatina squatina)
- proper noun The capital and largest city of Jamaica; it is also the capital of its eponymous parish.
- proper noun A parish of Jamaica; named for the city which it comprises the inner part of.
- proper noun (metonymic) The Jamaican government.
- proper noun A suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
- proper noun The capital of Norfolk Island.
- proper noun A suburb of Logan, Queensland.
- proper noun The former name of a town in South Australia, now Kingston SE.
- proper noun A local government area (Kingston District Council) in south-east South Australia. Seat: Kingston SE.
Synonyms
Etymology
In the case of settlements outside England, from king's + -ton (“town”), in reference to monarchs of the British Empire. In the case of settlements within England, a development from earlier Old English Cinges tūn or Cynges tūn (“king's town or manor”), in reference to various monarchs. Sometimes derived from other places already named Kingston or, particularly in America, from people with the surname King. Doublet of Kingstown, Kingstone, Conington, and Cunnington. Cf. also Kingsville, Kingsburg, Conisbrough, Coniston, Coniston Cold, Queenstown, Queenston, Princeton, Princetown, and Princes Town.
In particular, the community founded in New Brunswick in 1783 in the aftermath of the American Revolution may have been named as a sign of loyalty to George III; its parish was named for the community. The village in Nova Scotia was named for its district (Kings County) and the unrealized hope that it would become a town. The surname is derived from the various locations named Kingston.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “kingston”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details