suffolk

suffolk — noun

1. a large administrative area in eastern England, lying along the coast of the Nor

1.nounB1
Definition

a large administrative area in eastern England, lying along the coast of the North Sea, with its main town in Ipswich

Example

The Suffolk countryside is famous for its mediaeval churches and scenic walking trails.

collocation: Suffolk countryside

Lan's family has lived in Suffolk near Bury St Edmunds for three generations.

Common collocations
  • Suffolk countryside
  • Suffolk coast
  • Suffolk County Council
  • rural Suffolk
  • in Suffolk

Grammar Patterns

Suffolk + singular verb

Usage Note

Often used with 'in' to indicate location: 'in Suffolk'. The administrative body is referred to as 'Suffolk County Council'.

Common Mistakes

Norfolk is south of Suffolk.
Suffolk is south of Norfolk.
Suffolk is south of Norfolk in eastern England.
I visited the Suffolk.
I visited Suffolk.
No article 'the' is needed before most British county names.

2. a city in the southeastern part of the US state of Virginia, functioning as a se

2.nounB2
Definition

a city in the southeastern part of the US state of Virginia, functioning as a separate jurisdiction that is not part of any county

Example

Hoa moved to Suffolk, Virginia, after accepting a job at a local engineering firm.

The Suffolk city council approved plans for a new riverside park last month.

collocation: Suffolk city council

Common collocations
  • Suffolk city council
  • downtown Suffolk
  • Suffolk, Virginia
  • in Suffolk

Grammar Patterns

Suffolk + singular verb

Usage Note

In the United States, an 'independent city' is a city that is not part of any county. Virginia is the US state with the most independent cities. Always specify 'Suffolk, Virginia' when referring to this city to distinguish it from the English county.

Common Mistakes

Suffolk is a county in Virginia.
Suffolk is an independent city in Virginia, not a county.
In Virginia, Suffolk is a city, not a county.

Word family

  • Suffolkian
    adjectiveC2

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the Suffolk countryside
  • the Suffolk coast
  • Suffolk County Council
  • downtown Suffolk

Phrases

  • Suffolk, Virginia
  • the county of Suffolk

Prepositions

  • in Suffolk
  • to Suffolk
  • from Suffolk
  • near Suffolk

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The name Suffolk comes from Old English 'Sūþfolc', which means 'southern people.' It was the name given to the southern group of the East Angles, an Anglo-Saxon tribe that settled in the area. The neighbouring county Norfolk means 'northern people.' The name has been used for this region since around the 9th century.