Derry~Londonderry

proper noun

A politically neutral name for the city variously called Derry or Londonderry in Northern Ireland.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

proper noun

alternative Derry/Londonderry · alternative Derry-Londonderry

  1. A politically neutral name for the city variously called Derry or Londonderry in Northern Ireland.

    The only completely walled city in Ireland and one of the best examples of a walled city in Europe, Derry~Londonderry wears its long and eventful history on its sleeve.

    2025 November 7, “Discover Derry~Londonderry’s history, heritage and heart”, in Tourism Ireland
    1 more example

    It is notable that Ulster University as an institution dedicated to open inquiry highlights its Magee campus, as offering "an intimate learning environment located in Derry~Londonderry."

    2023 October 6, Juval Portugali, quoting Ulster University, The Crisis of Democracy in the Age of Cities, Edward Elgar Publishing, →ISBN, page 145

Origin

A tilde was chosen by the agency Culture Company 2013 for the city's 2013 UK City of Culture title to suggest the shape of the city's Peace Bridge, and to avoid the perception of division inherent in Derry/Londonderry and the potential for misunderstanding Derry-Londonderry as a single place name.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Derry~Londonderry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Derry~Londonderry

MLA

“Derry~Londonderry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Derry~Londonderry. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Derry~Londonderry,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Derry~Londonderry.

Source: Derry~Londonderry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.