a county of SW England, on the Bristol Channel: the Mendip Hills lie in the north and Exmoor in the west: the geographical and ceremonial county includes the unitary authorities of North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset (both part of Avon county from 1975 until 1996): mainly agricultural (esp dairying and fruit). Administrative centre: Taunton. Pop (excluding unitary authorities): 507 500 (2003 est). Area (excluding unitary authorities): 3452sq km (1332 sq miles)
Somerset in British English2
(ˈsʌməˌsɛt)
noun
1st Duke of, title of Edward Seymour. ?1500–52, English statesman, protector of England (1547–49) during Edward VI's minority. He defeated the Scots (1547) and furthered the Protestant Reformation: executed
Somerset in American English
(ˈsʌmərˌsɛt)
county in SW England, on Bristol Channel: 1,333 sq mi (3,452 sq km); pop. 460,000
: also ˈSomersetˌshire (ˈsʌmərsɛtˌʃɪr)
Word origin
OE Sumersaete, contr. < Sumortun sæte, lit., the people of Somerton (< sumor, summer1 + tun, town) + sæte, residents, pl. of sæta, akin to sæti, seat