Devon

From Old English Defenas, which meant both "Devonians" and "Devon," exemplifying the common Anglo-Saxon practice of naming a place after the people who inhabit it.

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɛv.ən/, /ˈdiː.vən/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛvən, -iːvən

The former pronunciation should be used for all except the river; the latter pronunciation should be used for the river only.

Devon

1. A county of England bordered by Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, the Bristol Channel and the English Channel.
2. Any of a number of places in US and Canada.
   1. A town in Alberta, Canada.
   2. A small rural community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
   3. A former town in New Brunswick, Canada, amalgamated in 1945 into the city of Fredericton.
   4. A village and neighborhood of Milford, Connecticut, United States.
   5. An unincorporated community in New Castle County, Delaware, United States.
   6. An unincorporated community in Bourbon County, Kansas, United States.
   7. A census-designated place in Chester, Pennsylvania, United States.
   8. An unincorporated community in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States.
3. A river in Nottinghamshire, England, tributary to the Trent.
4. An English earldom.
5. A male given name transferred from the place name, or a variant of Devin.
   • 2013, Diane Chamberlain, Necessary Lies, Pan Books, →ISBN, page 59:

     "Is that his real name?" I asked, touching the corner of the picture. "Devil?"
     "I named him Devon James Jordan, but my oldest―my girl Sheena―she had trouble saying Devon and it came out Devil, and that stuck […] "

6. A female given name transferred from the place name, of modern American usage.
7. A surname.

• (county): Devonshire

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Devon is the 34353^rd most common surname in the United States, belonging to 660 individuals. Devon is most common among White (72.73%) and Black/African American (17.12%) individuals.

Devon (plural Devons)

1. One of a breed of hardy cattle originating in Devon, England.

• doven

• IPA^(key): /deˈvoːn/

• Audio

  (file)

Devon n (proper noun, genitive Devons or (optionally with an article) Devon)

1. Devon (a county of England)
2. Devon (a town in Alberta, Canada)
3. Devon (a small rural community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
4. Devon (a former town in New Brunswick, Canada, now a part of Fredericton)
5. Devon (a village and neighborhood of Milford, Connecticut, United States)
6. Devon (an unincorporated community in New Castle County, Delaware, United States)
7. Devon (an unincorporated community in Bourbon County, Kansas, United States)
8. Devon (a census-designated place in Chester, Pennsylvania, United States)
9. Devon (an unincorporated community in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States)
10. the Devonian

• Silur
• Karbon
• Paläozoikum

Unadapted borrowing from English Devon.

Devon

1. Devon (a county of England)