Eton

Eton , town (1991 pop. 3,559), Windsor and Maidenhead, central England, on the Thames River. It is known chiefly for Eton College, largest and most famous of the English public schools, founded with King's College, Cambridge, by King Henry VI in 1440. Some of the buildings (chapel, lower school, cloisters) date back to the 15th cent. Eton is unlike other English public schools in that it does not have a prefect system. At Eton senior students have a larger voice in the selection of student leaders. Another distinctive feature at Eton is the tutorial system, by which each student has a personal tutor. Many of England's most notable men were schooled at Eton. It maintains a close alliance with King's College, Cambridge; scholarships are offered between the institutions. The annual cricket match between Eton and Harrow attracts much attention.

Eton, Canada, UK UK (England): formerly Ettone ‘Farmstead by the River’ from the Old English ēa ‘river’ and tūn.

Eton Winds. & Maid. Ettone 1086 (DB). ‘Farmstead or estate on the river’ (probably denoting a settlement which performed a special local function in relation to the river). OE ēa + tūn.