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Shaftesbury

American  
[shafts-buh-ree, shahfts-] / ˈʃæfts bə ri, ˈʃɑfts- /

noun

  1. Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of, 1621–83, English statesman.

  2. Anthony Ashley Cooper, 3rd Earl of, 1671–1713, English moral philosopher (grandson of Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury).

  3. Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of, 1801–85, English philanthropist.


Shaftesbury British  
/ ˈʃɑːftsbərɪ, -brɪ /

noun

  1. 1st Earl of, title of Anthony Ashley Cooper. 1621–83, English statesman, a major figure in the Whig opposition to Charles II

  2. 7th Earl of, title of Anthony Ashley Cooper. 1801–85, English evangelical churchman and social reformer. He promoted measures to improve conditions in mines (1842), factories (1833; 1847; 1850), and schools

"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

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

Nothing in the theatre group's announcement mentions the former Duke of York - and theatres do change names, such as the Shaftesbury Theatre in London being named after Dame Judi Dench.

From BBC Jul. 1, 2026

A handful of companies which were granted licenses in 2021 pay a fee to the owner of the lough bed, the Earl of Shaftesbury, for every tonne they extract.

From BBC Apr. 15, 2026

The London parade began in Trafalgar Square before moving up Charing Cross Road to Shaftesbury Avenue and then into Chinatown.

From BBC Feb. 22, 2026

Karl Stewart, head teacher at Shaftesbury Junior School in Leicester, said his school's attendance rates were higher than average and but there was a "definite dip" in the two years after Covid.

From BBC Aug. 30, 2025

The motive to virtue, according to Shaftesbury and Henry More, 76.

From History of European Morals From Augustus to Charlemagne (Vol. 2 of 2) by William Edward Hartpole Lecky

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