windsor

windsor — noun

1. a historic market town in the county of Berkshire, southeast England, that is be

1.nounA2
Definition

a historic market town in the county of Berkshire, southeast England, that is best known for Windsor Castle, the official residence of the British royal family and a major tourist attraction.

Example

Sari bought a postcard of Windsor Castle during her visit to England.

collocation: Windsor Castle

The Watanabe family took a day trip to Windsor to see the royal guard ceremony.

Common collocations
  • Windsor Castle
  • Windsor Great Park
  • visit Windsor
  • Windsor town centre

2. a method of folding and wrapping a necktie that creates a large, symmetrical tri

2.nounB1
Definition

a method of folding and wrapping a necktie that creates a large, symmetrical triangular knot, with the widest part near the collar and the shape narrowing toward the bottom.

Example

Christopher learned to tie a Windsor knot for his cousin's wedding ceremony.

collocation: tie a Windsor knot

Darius prefers a Windsor knot because it fills the collar gap under a dress shirt.

Common collocations
  • tie a Windsor knot
  • Windsor knot + collar
  • half Windsor knot
  • full Windsor knot
Synonyms
  • full Windsor

    emphasises the full, symmetrical version as opposed to the half Windsor

  • double Windsor

    refers to the same knot, highlighting that the tie goes around twice

Antonyms

Usage Note

The Windsor knot is wider and more formal than the simpler Four-in-Hand knot. It works best with spread-collar shirts.

Common Mistakes

A Windsor knot is the same as a half Windsor.
A full Windsor is the larger knot, while a half Windsor is a smaller version made with fewer loops.
'Windsor knot' alone is ambiguous; specify 'full Windsor' or 'half Windsor' to be clear.

3. the title given to Edward VIII, the former King of the United Kingdom, after he

3.nounB2
Definition

the title given to Edward VIII, the former King of the United Kingdom, after he decided to give up the throne in 1936 in order to marry the American socialite Wallis Simpson.

Example

Adina read a biography of the Duke of Windsor for her twentieth-century history class.

The Duke of Windsor lived in France for most of his life after the abdication.

collocation: Duke of Windsor + lived in [place]

Common collocations
  • Duke of Windsor
  • abdication of the Duke of Windsor
  • Duke of Windsor + Wallis Simpson

Usage Note

Always capitalised as 'Duke of Windsor.' Historical references to Edward VIII before his abdication use his royal title, not 'Duke of Windsor.'

4. a town in Sonoma County, California, located about 90 kilometres north of San Fr

4.nounB1
Definition

a town in Sonoma County, California, located about 90 kilometres north of San Francisco in the heart of the state's wine-producing region.

Example

Ignacio drives from Windsor to Santa Rosa every morning for his job at the hospital.

Nkechi's family moved to Windsor, California, for the quieter lifestyle and the good schools.

collocation: moved to Windsor, California

Common collocations
  • Windsor, California
  • Windsor + Sonoma County

5. a town in north-central Connecticut, near the Connecticut River and the city of

5.nounB1
Definition

a town in north-central Connecticut, near the Connecticut River and the city of Hartford, first settled by English colonists in the 1630s.

Example

Eliska grew up in Windsor, Connecticut, and knows every street in the old town centre.

Windsor, Connecticut, was settled in 1633 and is one of the oldest towns in the state.

collocation: settled in [year]

Common collocations
  • Windsor, Connecticut
  • Windson Locks

6. a city in southeastern Ontario, Canada, located on the Detroit River directly ac

6.nounB1
Definition

a city in southeastern Ontario, Canada, located on the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, and known as a major centre for the Canadian automotive industry.

Example

Élise crosses the border from Windsor, Ontario, into Detroit, Michigan, twice a week for work.

collocation: Windsor, Ontario + Detroit, Michigan

The automobile factory in Windsor, Ontario, employs thousands of skilled workers from the area.

Common collocations
  • Windsor, Ontario
  • Windsor + Detroit River
  • Windsor auto industry

7. the main market town of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire

7.nounB1
Definition

the main market town of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, southern England, functioning as a local administrative centre with a railway station, civic offices, and high-street shopping.

Example

Indra's family moved to Windsor, Berkshire, so their children could attend the local secondary school.

collocation: moved to Windsor, Berkshire

A regular bus route connects Windsor, Berkshire, directly to the main shopping centre in nearby Slough.

collocation: bus route + Windsor, Berkshire

Common collocations
  • Windsor, Berkshire
  • Windsor + River Thames
  • Royal Borough of Windsor

Usage Note

This is the same town as sense 1. Sense 1 focuses on the tourist and castle associations, while this sense emphasises the town as a geographic and administrative location in Berkshire.

Word family

  • Windsorian
    adjectiveC1

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

The name 'Windsor' comes from Old English 'Windles-ore,' meaning 'winch by the riverbank,' referring to a mechanical lifting device used near the River Thames. The town and castle were important royal sites from the 11th century onward. The name later spread to other English-speaking places around the world, and in the 20th century it was adopted for the British royal family's surname (House of Windsor) during World War I.