Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- a former county in W England, now part of Hereford and Worscester.
noun
- a county of W England: from 1974 to 1998 part of Hereford and Worcester: drained chiefly by the River Wye; agricultural (esp fruit and cattle). Administrative centre: Hereford. Pop: 176 900 (2003 est). Area: 2180 sq km (842 sq miles)
Old English Herefordscir, from Hereford (958), literally “ford suitable for the passage of an army.” Probably so-called in reference to the Roman road passing over the Wye River. Herford in Germany has the same etymology. As the name for a type of cattle, first bred there, it is attested from 1789.