A
shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the
United Kingdom and
Australia. The word derives from the
Old English scir, itself a derivative of the Proto-Germanic
skizo (cf. Old High German
scira), meaning care or official charge. In Britain, "shire" is the original term for what is usually known now as a
county; the word
county having been introduced at the
Norman Conquest of England. The two are nearly synonymous. Although in modern British usage counties are referred to as "shires" mainly in poetic contexts, terms such as
Shire Hall remain common. Shire also remains a common part of many county names.