Meaning of suffix '-sex' in 'Sussex, Middlesex' [closed]
I know that Sussex and Middlesex are in England. It looks to me as if there is a pattern in names.
What does the suffix -sex mean? Where does it come from?
The -sex suffix is from Anglo-Saxon / Old English, with the actual meaning being "Saxon".
- Sussex is essentially "South Saxon".
- Middlesex is "Middle Saxon".
- Essex is "East Saxon".
- Wessex is "West Saxon".
Most of the wiki pages for these places will have the toponymy definition.
The suffix originates from the word Saxon, which is derived from the German state of Saxony