perth

perth — noun

1. the capital city of Western Australia, located on the Swan River near the southw

1.nounB1
Definition

the capital city of Western Australia, located on the Swan River near the southwestern coast of the country and surrounded by beaches, parks, and a warm Mediterranean climate

Example

Lan's parents moved to Perth when her father took a job at the university there.

moved to [city] for [reason]

Every summer, tourists fly to Perth to enjoy the sunny beaches and the calm waters of the Swan River.

fly to [city] to [activity]

Common collocations
  • Perth-based
  • in Perth
  • to Perth
  • Perth Festival
  • Perth Zoo
  • fly to Perth

Grammar Patterns

Perth + verb (singular)

in + Perth

to + Perth

Usage Note

As a proper noun, Perth does not take an article unless referring to the administrative district ('the City of Perth'). Always capitalised.

Common Mistakes

Perth is a very hot in summer.
Perth is very hot in summer.
Do not add the article 'a' before an adjective describing the city.

2. a historic city in central Scotland, located on the Tay River and known for its

2.nounB2
Definition

a historic city in central Scotland, located on the Tay River and known for its medieval buildings, the nearby Scone Palace, and its role as a former royal burgh and capital during the Middle Ages

Example

Obi spent a weekend exploring the old cobblestone streets and riverbanks of Perth.

exploring [city]

The city of Perth lies on the Tay River, about forty minutes north of Edinburgh by train.

[city] lies on [river]

Common collocations
  • city of Perth
  • in Perth
  • near Perth
  • Perth's historic centre

Grammar Patterns

Perth + verb (singular)

in + Perth

from + Perth

3. a historical administrative area in central Scotland, also known as Perthshire,

3.nounC1
Definition

a historical administrative area in central Scotland, also known as Perthshire, that existed as a county until regional reorganisation in the late twentieth century

Example

The old county of Perth stretched from the southern Highlands down to the farmlands of the central lowlands.

the county of [name] stretched from [place] to [place]

Gita's great-grandparents were born in a small village in the county of Perth in the 1890s.

Common collocations
  • former county of Perth
  • county of Perth
  • in Perth
  • from Perth
Synonyms
  • Perthshire

    The alternative name for the same historical county; Perthshire is actually the more precise term, while 'Perth' alone is an informal shortening

Grammar Patterns

the county of Perth

in Perth

from Perth

Usage Note

This sense refers specifically to the historical county (Perthshire), not to the modern council area of Perth and Kinross. It appears most often in historical writing, genealogy, and old maps.

Common Mistakes

I visited the county of Perth last weekend.
I visited the city of Perth last weekend.
The county no longer exists as an administrative unit; use 'city of Perth' for the modern settlement.

Word family

  • Perthite
    nounC2
  • Perthshire
    nounC2
  • Perthian
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Perth is the capital of Western Australia and, like Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, is one of Australia's major coastal cities. However, Perth is far more isolated than the others — the nearest large city (Adelaide) is over 2,600 kilometres away by road. While Sydney and Melbourne are known for their global business and cultural scenes, Perth sits closer to Southeast Asia and has stronger trade and tourism links with Singapore, Indonesia, and China. The city's Mediterranean climate and long beaches make it a popular destination for travellers looking for a more relaxed pace than the east-coast cities. In terms of regional identity, Perth residents (often called Perthites) sometimes see their city as having more in common with coastal California than with Sydney or Melbourne.

Perth ↗BrisbaneAdelaide ↗MelbourneSydney

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • based in Perth
  • the city of Perth
  • Perth and Kinross
  • Perth to ... flight

Prepositions

Etymology

PictishBrythonicScottish GaelicScotsEnglish

The name 'Perth' comes from a Pictish or early Brythonic word meaning 'wood' or 'thicket', related to the Welsh word 'perth' (bush, hedge). It was first used for the settlement on the Tay River in Scotland, which dates back to at least the 12th century. When British colonists founded a new settlement on the Swan River in Western Australia in 1829, they named it Perth after the birthplace of Sir George Murray, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, who had links to Perthshire, Scotland.