Usk

U1S1K5
/ʌsk/

proper noun

A river in Powys and Monmouthshire, Wales, that empties into the Severn at Newport.

OriginMiddle Welsh Wÿsk ← Proto-Brythonic *Uɨsk →
UncommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A river in Powys and Monmouthshire, Wales, that empties into the Severn at Newport.
  2. A town and community with a town council in Monmouthshire, Wales, on this river (OS grid ref SO3700).

Origin

  1. Proto-Brythonic*Uɨsk
  2. Middle WelshWÿsk
  3. EnglishUsk

From Middle Welsh Wÿsk (modern Welsh Wysg), from Proto-Brythonic *Uɨsk, a river name perhaps originally meaning "abundant in fish". Cognate with the river names Esk, Exe, and Axe.

More words from Middle Welsh, Proto-Brythonic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Latin Isca
  • Iscathe river
Welsh Brynbuga, Wysg
  • Brynbugathe town
  • Wysgthe river

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

suk
Cite this entry
APA

Usk. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Usk

MLA

“Usk.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Usk. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Usk,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Usk.

Source: Usk on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.