/ ˈkaʊnti; NAmE / noun , adjective
■ noun
( pl. -ies ) ( abbr. Co. ) an area of Britain, Ireland or the US that has its own government :
the southern counties
county boundaries
Orange County
—see also the Home Counties
■ adjective
( BrE , usually disapproving ) typical of English upper-class people
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French conte , from Latin comitatus , from comes , comit- companion, overseer, attendant (in late Latin person holding a state office), from com- together with + it- gone (from the verb ire go). The word seems first to have denoted a periodical meeting held to transact business in the area (the shire).