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Dorset

1 American  
[dawr-sit] / ˈdɔr sɪt /

noun

  1. 1st Earl of. Thomas Sackville.

  2. Dorsetshire.


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.


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)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Dorset

After Cape Dorset in northern Canada

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Three young people have contracted meningitis in a Dorset town in recent weeks, health bosses have said.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Dorset Council said the waste is not household material and would not be accepted at any recycling centre, adding it is unlikely to be linked to normal domestic activity.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

This time of year, the village gardens, private estates and rolling fields of West Dorset burst with life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Jim Hooper, from Berry Hill Farm in Throop, also in Dorset, said the rising fuel costs would eventually have to be passed on to the customer.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Having enjoyed a good morning's motoring in splendid weather, and having lunched well at a country inn, I had just crossed the border into Dorset.

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro