Meaning & use
Home Counties
Last updated
UK/ðə ˌhəʊm ˈkaʊntiz/
US/ðə ˌhoʊm ˈkaʊntiz/
Meaning
proper nounpluralBritish
The counties surrounding London in south-east England, often associated with commuters and a comfortable, middle-class way of life.
Grammar: Plural and normally used with the: the Home Counties.
Patterns
- live in the Home Counties
Many people who work in London live in the Home Counties.
She grew up in a village somewhere in the Home Counties.
Trains from the Home Counties were delayed by snow.
Common combinations
- in the Home Counties
- They bought a house in the Home Counties.
- Home Counties accent
- He spoke with a Home Counties accent.
- commute from the Home Counties
- Thousands commute from the Home Counties each day.
- across the Home Counties
- Storms swept across the Home Counties.
Synonyms and how they differ
- commuter belt
- Commuter belt describes any ring of towns around a city, while the Home Counties names a specific part of England.
- suburbs
- Suburbs are the residential areas right next to a city, which is a narrower zone than the Home Counties.
Word family
- county noun
- A region of a country with its own local government.
Commonly confused: Home Counties or homeland?
Home Counties vs homeland
Homeland is a person's native country, unrelated to the area around London.
Practice
The Home Counties are best described as which area?
Choose one answer.
The Home Counties ring London in south-east England. The other areas are in different places.
Make it your own
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