Dorset

¹ American  

[dawr-sit] / ˈdɔr sɪt /

noun

1. 1st Earl of. Thomas Sackville.

2. Dorsetshire.

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Dorset ² American  

[dawr-sit] / ˈdɔr sɪt /

noun

1. an Indigenous culture that flourished from a.d. 100–1000 in the central and eastern regions of Arctic North America, preceding the Inuit culture.

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Dorset British  

/ ˈdɔːsɪt /

noun

1. a county in SW England, on the English Channel: mainly hilly but low-lying in the east: the geographical and ceremonial county includes Bournemouth and Poole, which became independent unitary authorities in 1997. Administrative centre: Dorchester. Pop (excluding unitary authorities): 398 200 (2003 est). Area (excluding unitary authorities): 2544 sq km (982 sq miles)

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Etymology

Origin of Dorset

After Cape Dorset in northern Canada

Example Sentences

Dorset Wildlife Trust has completed the purchase of 110 acres at Upton Heath, near Poole, after a successful fundraising campaign.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Female CJ7 and male 022 laid four eggs at their nest site near Poole Harbour, Dorset, in April for the third year in a row.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

To escape the broader crisis hitting the film industry, she is retraining as an outdoor instructor in Dorset, southwest England, earning minimum wage.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

Alex Young, 46, from Blandford, Dorset, developed osteomyelitis - a potentially deadly bone infection that caused him severe pain.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

The Norse sagas describe attacks on their Vinland camp by people termed Skraelings, evidently either Newfoundland Indians or Dorset Eskimos.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond