Meaning

noun (United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government

noun (United States) the largest administrative district within a state

originFrom Middle English countee, counte, conte, from Anglo-Norman counté, Old French conté (French comté), from Latin comitātus (“jurisdiction of a count”), from comes (“count, earl”). Cognate with Spanish condado (“county”) and Italian contea (“county”). Doublet of comitatus, borrowed directly from Latin. Mostly displaced native Old English sċīr, whence Modern English shire.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0