Esk

Meanings

proper noun

A locality in the Clarence Valley council area and the Richmond Valley council area, north eastern New South Wales, Australia.
with definite articleA river in North Yorkshire, England that flows through Eskdale to Whitby.
with definite articleA river in Cumbria, England, which also flows through Eskdale, and into the Irish Sea.
with definite articleA river in Dumfries and Galloway council area, Scotland, which crosses the border into Cumbria, England, before flowing into Solway Firth.
with definite articleA river mostly in East Lothian council area, Scotland, its branches North Esk and South Esk are in Midlothian.

Origin

Proto-Brythonic*Uɨsk
EnglishEsk

Possibly derived from Proto-Brythonic *Uɨsk, a river name perhaps originally meaning "abundant in fish". Cognate to the river names Axe, Exe, and Usk. Another possibility, suggested for the North and South Esk, is derivation from a Brythonic/Celtic word for water; compare Scottish Gaelic uisge (“water, river”).

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