sussex

sussex — noun

1. a region in southeast England. Until 1974 it was a single county, but today it i

1.nounB1
Definition

a region in southeast England. Until 1974 it was a single county, but today it is divided into two modern counties called East Sussex, in the east, and West Sussex, in the west. People still use the name Sussex for the area's countryside, towns and coastline.

Example

Defne spent her summer holiday in a small village in Sussex.

collocation: in Sussex

The South Downs hills run across much of the region of Sussex.

Grammar Patterns

the region of Sussex

in / from Sussex

2. a breed of cow with dark brown fur, first developed in the Sussex region of Engl

2.nounC1
Definition

a breed of cow with dark brown fur, first developed in the Sussex region of England, and kept mainly for its meat.

Example

Liam keeps a herd of Sussex cattle on his farm in Kent.

collocation: herd of Sussex cattle

Sussex cows are known for producing high-quality beef.

Synonyms
  • beef cattle

    a general category; Sussex is one specific breed within it

Grammar Patterns

Sussex + noun (cattle, cow, breed)

Usage Note

This sense is a specialist agricultural term. The Sussex is considered a hardy breed that grows well on grass alone.

Common Mistakes

I saw a Sussex cow in the field, it was light brown.
I saw a Sussex cow in the field, it was a rich dark brown.
Sussex cattle are always dark brown, not light.

sussex — noun

1. the historical area in southeast England that lay along the English Channel coas

1.nounB2
Definition

the historical area in southeast England that lay along the English Channel coast as a single county before it was divided into East Sussex and West Sussex in 1974.

Example

The old county of Sussex covered a large part of the south coast of England.

collocation: the old county of Sussex

Historical maps from 1900 still show Sussex as one undivided county.

Grammar Patterns

the county of Sussex

old / former / historical Sussex

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (HISTORIC REGION): sense 1 refers to the area as it is still understood today; this sense refers specifically to the administrative unit that existed before 1974.

Common Mistakes

Sussex is a county in southeast England.
Sussex was a county in southeast England until 1974.
Since 1974, Sussex has been divided into East Sussex and West Sussex.

Word family

  • East Sussex
    nounB1
  • West Sussex
    nounB1
  • Sussexian
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sussex, East Sussex and West Sussex refer to the same geographic region of southeast England, but they are used differently depending on context. Sussex is the traditional name for the whole historic area — it appears in cultural references ("the Sussex Downs", "the Sussex coast") and everyday conversation. Since 1974, the region has been split for local government into East Sussex (administered from Lewes) and West Sussex (administered from Chichester). When discussing schools, roads or council services, use the modern official name ("East Sussex County Council"). When talking about landscape, tourism or heritage, "Sussex" is still the natural choice. For example: "We drove through the Sussex countryside." (region) versus "West Sussex has better public transport links." (administrative area).

Sussex ↗East SussexWest Sussex

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the south coast
  • the English Channel
  • the countryside
  • the South Downs

Phrases

  • the county of Sussex
  • the Sussex coast
  • East and West Sussex

Prepositions

  • in Sussex
  • from Sussex
  • to Sussex
  • across Sussex

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The name Sussex comes from Old English Sūþsēaxe, meaning 'South Saxons' — the Germanic tribe that settled the area in the 5th and 6th centuries. The region was one of the kingdoms of the Heptarchy (seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms) before becoming a county of England. Over time, the spelling changed from Sūþsēaxe to Sussex.