Durham

American  

[dur-uhm, duhr-] / ˈdɜr əm, ˈdʌr- /

noun

1. a county in NE England. 940 sq. mi. (2,435 sq. km).

2. a city in this county.

3. a city in N North Carolina.

4. a town in SE New Hampshire.

5. Animal Husbandry. Shorthorn.

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Durham British  

/ ˈdʌrəm /

noun

1.  Dur..  a former administrative county of NE England; became a unitary authority in 2009; on the North Sea: rises to the N Pennines in the west: the geographical and ceremonial county includes the unitary authorities of Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees (both part of Cleveland until 1996) and Darlington (created in 1997). Administrative centre: Durham. Pop (of Durham unitary authority): 494 200 (2003 est). Area (of Durham unitary authoritiy): 2434 sq km (940 sq miles)

2. a city in NE England, administrative centre of Co Durham, on the River Wear: Norman cathedral; 11th-century castle (founded by William the Conqueror), now occupied by the University of Durham (1832). Pop: 42 939 (2001)

3. a rare variety of shorthorn cattle See shorthorn

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Example Sentences

"Is he good enough? Quite possibly," said BBC Newcastle commentator Martin Emmerson, who has watched Gay throughout his Durham career.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Durham, of course, failed to turn up anything.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

Opening an inquest into Huntley's death, County Durham and Darlington senior coroner Jeremy Chipperfield said his further inquiry would be suspended pending criminal proceedings.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Durham Police and Durham County Council will work with a local undertaker to perform a funeral later this month, with the child to be buried in Bishop Auckland cemetery.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Inside the auditorium Fuller found a seething crowd, impatient to unleash its fury in a march on downtown Durham.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson