Colchester
/ˈkoʊlˌtʃɛstər/noun
A town in Essex, England, and the name of a type of oyster associated with that area.
Did you know?Colchester preserves the Roman name Camulodunum, later reshaped by English speakers around the River Colne and the Old English word for a Roman fort, ceaster.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Roman Britain
Brittonic
Camulodūnon
“The original settlement name, likely meaning "fort of Camulos" or "Camulos' fort".”
Roman Britain
Latin
Colonia
“A Roman settlement or colony, especially one founded for veterans.”
Old English
English
ceaster
“A Roman town, fort, or city; from Latin castra.”
Old English
English
Colne ceaster
“"Fort on the Colne," the English reshaping of the Roman site-name.”
Middle English
English
Colchester
“The modernized town name, preserving the Roman fort element in English form.”