town
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /taʊn/
ipa: [tʰaʊ̯n]
ipa: /tuːn/
rhymes: -aʊn
Forms: form: towns
form: tahn
form: tawn
form: toon
form: toune
form: towne
Etymology: From Middle English toun, from Old English tūn (“enclosure, garden”), from Proto-West Germanic *tūn, from Proto-Germanic *tūną (“fence, enclosure”), of Celtic origin, from Proto-Celtic *dūnom, from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to finish, come full circle”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Tuun (“garden”), West Frisian tún (“enclosure, garden”), Dutch tuin (“garden”), German Low German Tuun (“fence”), German Zaun (“fence”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian tun (“yard”); also archaic Welsh din (“hill”), Irish dún (“fortress”). Doublet of dun. See also -ton and tine (“to enclose”).
Senses: examples: text: This town is really dangerous because these youngsters have Beretta handguns.
text: Apparently the first reference to the making of the town walls of Stafford (it appears pretty clear that the town was never surrounded by one continuous wall or stockade, but partly by one and partly by the other) occurs in the Patent Rolls, from which we find that in 1225 permission was granted by the king to the "good men of Stafford” to collect customs or tolls for a period to enable them to enclose the town.
ref: 1920, Birmingham Archaeological Society, Transactions and Proceedings for the Year, page 142:
text: Walls separated town and country through much of the early modern period. Walls not only protected towns, they also helped give them a sense of autonomy and identity.
ref: 2001, Thomas Brennan, “Town and country in France , 1550–1750”, in S. R. Epstein, editor, Town and Country in Europe, 1300-1800, page 250:
text: Fortifications and town walls clearly highlight the central military significance of towns.
ref: 2011, Mikuláš Teich, Dušan Kováč, Martin D. Brown, Slovakia in History, page 42:
text: As towns continue to grow, replanting vegetation has become a form of urban utopia and green roofs are spreading fast. Last year 1m square metres of plant-covered roofing was built in France, as much as in the US, and 10 times more than in Germany, the pioneer in this field. In Paris 22 hectares of roof have been planted, out of a potential total of 80 hectares.
ref: 2013 May 10, Audrey Garric, “Urban canopies let nature bloom”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 22, page 30:
text: The medieval town, at least in continental Europe, was walled, and without its defences it was no town.
ref: 2014, Norman John Greville Pounds, An Economic History of Medieval Europe, page 228:
glosses: A settlement; an area with residential districts, shops and amenities, and its own local government; especially one larger than a village and smaller than a city, historically enclosed by a fence or walls, with total populations ranging from several hundred to more than a hundred thousand (as of the early 21st century)
examples: text: I'll be in Yonkers, then I'm driving into town to see the Knicks at the Garden tonight.
text: Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
glosses: Any more urbanized centre than the place of reference.
glosses: A rural settlement in which a market was held at least once a week.
glosses: The residents (as opposed to gown: the students, faculty, etc.) of a community which is the site of a university.
examples: text: Call me when you get to town.
text: They put up "lost dog" posters all over town.
text: I had occasion[…]to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return[…]I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting[…], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
glosses: Used to refer to a town or similar entity under discussion.
raw_tags: used without an article
examples: text: There's always a business theme, even underlying happy hours. You're never off the clock in this town.
ref: 2014, Megan R. Wilson, quoting Scott Talbott, “15 places in DC where lobbyists talk turkey”, in The Hill:
glosses: A major city, especially one where the speaker is located.
examples: text: Detached houses always sell faster than towns or semis.
ref: 2002, Garth Turner, The Little Book of Real Estate Wisdom, Toronto, O.N.: Key Porter Books, →ISBN, page 38:
text: It's not just market forces that are bringing out the semis and towns. Municipalities are requiring developers to build a mix of homes into their new planned communities, partly out of a concession to make more efficient use of virgin land, but also to address the need for more affordable housing for families who might not be able to crack a $300,000 mortgage.
ref: 2004 June 11, Derek Raymaker, “Suburbs add semi-detached to the mix”, in The Globe and Mail, Toronto, O.N.: The Woodbridge Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 May 2023:
topics: business
real-estate
glosses: A townhouse.
topics: law
glosses: A municipal organization, such as a corporation, defined by the laws of the entity of which it is a part.
glosses: An enclosure which surrounded the mere homestead or dwelling of the lord of the manor; by extension, the whole of the land which constituted the domain.
glosses: A farm or farmstead; also, a court or farmyard.
Hypernyms: settlement
Derived terms: english: town
translation: town
urls: https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Category:English+lemmas&from=town#mw-pages
word: English terms starting with
sense: Nouns
word: agrotown
sense: Nouns
word: assize town
sense: Nouns
word: bad part of town
sense: Nouns
word: bedroom town
sense: Nouns
word: big end of town
sense: Nouns
word: blow town
sense: Nouns
word: book town
sense: Nouns
word: boom town
sense: Nouns
word: boomtown
sense: Nouns
word: B-town
sense: Nouns
word: bytown
sense: Nouns
word: cathedral town
sense: Nouns
word: churchtown
sense: Nouns
word: clone town
sense: Nouns
word: closed town
sense: Nouns
word: coal town
sense: Nouns
word: college town
sense: Nouns
word: come upon the town
sense: Nouns
word: commuter town
sense: Nouns
word: company town
sense: Nouns
word: county town
sense: Nouns
word: cowtown
sense: Nouns
word: cow town
sense: Nouns
word: cross town
sense: Nouns
word: cross-town
sense: Nouns
word: crosstown
sense: Nouns
word: cybertown
sense: Nouns
word: darktown
sense: Nouns
word: dog town
sense: Nouns
word: dormitory town
sense: Nouns
word: down-town
sense: Nouns
word: downtown
sense: Nouns
word: ecotown
sense: Nouns
word: fortified town
sense: Nouns
word: garrison town
sense: Nouns
word: gentleman about town
sense: Nouns
word: get out of town
sense: Nouns
word: ghost town
sense: Nouns
word: go-to-town
sense: Nouns
word: go to town
sense: Nouns
word: go to town on
sense: Nouns
word: gray town
sense: Nouns
word: hat town
sense: Nouns
word: hill town
sense: Nouns
word: hilltown
sense: Nouns
word: hog town
sense: Nouns
word: hometown
sense: Nouns
word: home town
sense: Nouns
word: intertown
sense: Nouns
word: intown
sense: Nouns
word: in town
sense: Nouns
word: jerkwater town
sense: Nouns
word: kirk-town
sense: Nouns
word: kirktown
sense: Nouns
word: leave town
sense: Nouns
word: man-about-town
sense: Nouns
word: man about town
sense: Nouns
word: market town
sense: Nouns
word: midtown
sense: Nouns
word: mining town
sense: Nouns
word: model town
sense: Nouns
word: monotown
sense: Nouns
word: multitown
sense: Nouns
word: new kid in town
sense: Nouns
word: new town
sense: Nouns
word: old town
sense: Nouns
word: oldtown
sense: Nouns
word: one-camel town
sense: Nouns
word: one-horse town
sense: Nouns
word: only game in town
sense: Nouns
word: on the town
sense: Nouns
word: out-of-town
sense: Nouns
word: out of town
sense: Nouns
word: paint the town
sense: Nouns
word: paint the town red
sense: Nouns
word: panchayat town
sense: Nouns
word: paper town
sense: Nouns
word: park the beef bus in tuna town
sense: Nouns
word: post town
sense: Nouns
word: pound town
sense: Nouns
word: P-town
sense: Nouns
word: Radio Town
sense: Nouns
word: resort town
sense: Nouns
word: run out of town
sense: Nouns
word: satellite town
sense: Nouns
word: shacktown
sense: Nouns
word: shantytown
sense: Nouns
word: shanty town
sense: Nouns
word: shire town
sense: Nouns
word: skip town
sense: Nouns
word: small-town
sense: Nouns
word: smalltown
sense: Nouns
word: small town
sense: Nouns
word: spa town
sense: Nouns
word: stannary town
sense: Nouns
word: sundowner town
sense: Nouns
word: sundown town
sense: Nouns
word: sunset town
sense: Nouns
word: take someone to brown town
sense: Nouns
word: take to pound town
sense: Nouns
word: talk of the town
sense: Nouns
word: tank town
sense: Nouns
word: there is a new sheriff in town
sense: Nouns
word: toast of the town
sense: Nouns
word: top end of town
sense: Nouns
word: town and gown
sense: Nouns
word: town-and-gown
sense: Nouns
word: townball
sense: Nouns
word: town ball
sense: Nouns
word: town belt
sense: Nouns
word: town bicycle
sense: Nouns
word: town bike
sense: Nouns
word: town-building game
sense: Nouns
word: town camp
sense: Nouns
word: town car
sense: Nouns
word: town center
sense: Nouns
word: town centre
sense: Nouns
word: town-clerk
sense: Nouns
word: town clerk
sense: Nouns
word: town council
sense: Nouns
word: town councillor
sense: Nouns
word: town cress
sense: Nouns
word: town crier
sense: Nouns
word: Town Crow
sense: Nouns
word: town drunk
sense: Nouns
word: town-dweller
sense: Nouns
word: town dweller
sense: Nouns
word: towndweller
sense: Nouns
word: towned
sense: Nouns
word: townee
sense: Nouns
word: towner
sense: Nouns
word: townfield
sense: Nouns
word: townfolk
sense: Nouns
word: townful
sense: Nouns
word: town gas
sense: Nouns
word: town hall
sense: Nouns
word: townhall
sense: Nouns
word: townhome
sense: Nouns
word: townhood
sense: Nouns
word: town house
sense: Nouns
word: townhouse
sense: Nouns
word: townie
sense: Nouns
word: townish
sense: Nouns
word: townland
sense: Nouns
word: townless
sense: Nouns
word: townlet
sense: Nouns
word: townlike
sense: Nouns
word: townling
sense: Nouns
word: townly
sense: Nouns
word: town mail
sense: Nouns
word: townman
sense: Nouns
word: town manager
sense: Nouns
word: townmate
sense: Nouns
word: town mayor
sense: Nouns
word: town meeting
sense: Nouns
word: town planner
sense: Nouns
word: town planning
sense: Nouns
word: townscape
sense: Nouns
word: townsfellow
sense: Nouns
word: townsfolk
sense: Nouns
word: township
sense: Nouns
word: townsite
sense: Nouns
word: townsman
sense: Nouns
word: townsmate
sense: Nouns
word: townspeople
sense: Nouns
word: townsperson
sense: Nouns
word: town square
sense: Nouns
word: townswoman
sense: Nouns
word: town twinning
sense: Nouns
word: town walls
sense: Nouns
word: townward
sense: Nouns
word: townwards
sense: Nouns
word: townwear
sense: Nouns
word: townwide
sense: Nouns
word: towny
sense: Nouns
word: transition town
sense: Nouns
word: Troy town
sense: Nouns
word: twin town
sense: Nouns
word: university town
sense: Nouns
word: uptown
sense: Nouns
word: wich town
sense: Nouns
word: woman about town
sense: Nouns
word: woman of the town
sense: Nouns
word: wrong side of town
sense: Nouns
word: Zoom town
sense: Place names including town
word: Abbeytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Abbottstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Adamstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Allendale Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Allentown
sense: Place names including town
word: Andersonstown
sense: Place names including town
english: fictitious
translation: fictitious
word: Anytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Arkwright Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Arrowtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Bagenalstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Banglatown
sense: Place names including town
word: Bankstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Bardstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Beantown
sense: Place names including town
word: Beetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Bentinck Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Blacktown
sense: Place names including town
word: Blandtown
sense: Place names including town
english: fictitious
translation: fictitious
word: Blanktown
sense: Place names including town
word: Blountstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Bordertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Boystown
sense: Place names including town
word: Bricktown
sense: Place names including town
word: Bridgetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Broad Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Brown's Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Butetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Byrdstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Cabbagetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Camden Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Campbelltown
sense: Place names including town
word: Canning Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Canvastown
sense: Place names including town
word: Cape Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Carlton Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Castletown
sense: Place names including town
word: Cathedraltown
sense: Place names including town
word: Cedartown
sense: Place names including town
word: Chapeltown
sense: Place names including town
word: Charlestown
sense: Place names including town
word: Charles Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Charlottetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Chasetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Chestertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Chinatown
sense: Place names including town
word: Churchtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Coontown
sense: Place names including town
word: Cowtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Creetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Dalton
sense: Place names including town
word: Dalton Town with Newton
sense: Place names including town
word: Douglastown
sense: Place names including town
word: Downingtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Doylestown
sense: Place names including town
word: Draperstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Dufftown
sense: Place names including town
word: Earlestown
sense: Place names including town
word: Eatontown
sense: Place names including town
word: Edgartown
sense: Place names including town
word: Elizabethtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Ellistown
sense: Place names including town
word: Forbestown
sense: Place names including town
word: Fordtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Fredericktown
sense: Place names including town
word: Freetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Frenchtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Frytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Georgetown
sense: Place names including town
word: George Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Germantown
sense: Place names including town
word: Glovertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Gnometown
sense: Place names including town
word: Grantown-on-Spey
sense: Place names including town
word: Greeleytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Greytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Griffithstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Hagerstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Hamilton Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Hartington Town Quarter
sense: Place names including town
word: Heath Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Helltown
sense: Place names including town
word: High Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Hightown
sense: Place names including town
word: Hilltown
sense: Place names including town
word: Hockeytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Hopetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Hope Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Huntingtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Hymietown
sense: Place names including town
word: Irishtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Irvinestown
sense: Place names including town
word: Jamestown
sense: Place names including town
word: Jeffersontown
sense: Place names including town
word: Jenkintown
sense: Place names including town
word: Jeppestown
sense: Place names including town
word: Jonestown
sense: Place names including town
word: Jordanstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Kelleytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Kemp Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Kentish Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Koreatown
sense: Place names including town
word: Laketown
sense: Place names including town
word: Lawrencetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Leonardtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Levittown
sense: Place names including town
word: Lewistown
sense: Place names including town
word: Lombardstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Lordstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Low Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Marshalltown
sense: Place names including town
word: Marystown
sense: Place names including town
word: Marytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Matlock Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Maurertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Medway Towns
sense: Place names including town
word: Middletown
sense: Place names including town
word: Mifflintown
sense: Place names including town
word: Millertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Milltown
sense: Place names including town
word: Mitchelstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Mobtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Morristown
sense: Place names including town
word: Motown
sense: Place names including town
word: Nethertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Newtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Nicholtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Niggatown
sense: Place names including town
word: Niggertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Norristown
sense: Place names including town
word: Old Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Orangetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Pembrey and Burry Port Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Philipstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Pittstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Powelltown
sense: Place names including town
word: Princetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Provincetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Puddletown
sense: Place names including town
word: Pumpkintown
sense: Place names including town
word: Queenstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Randalstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Rootstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Ruyton-XI-Towns
sense: Place names including town
word: Savile Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Seatown
sense: Place names including town
word: Shortstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Silvertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Simonstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Skellytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Smithtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Somers Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Southtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Spanish Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Station Town
sense: Place names including town
word: St John's Town of Dalry
sense: Place names including town
word: Thomastown
sense: Place names including town
word: Tinseltown
sense: Place names including town
word: Town End
sense: Place names including town
word: Townend
sense: Place names including town
word: Town Green
sense: Place names including town
word: Town Head
sense: Place names including town
word: Townhead
sense: Place names including town
word: Townhill
sense: Place names including town
word: Townsend
sense: Place names including town
word: Town Yetholm
sense: Place names including town
word: Toytown
sense: Place names including town
word: Trench Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Tylertown
sense: Place names including town
word: Uniontown
sense: Place names including town
word: Victoriatown
sense: Place names including town
word: Voluntown
sense: Place names including town
word: Watertown
sense: Place names including town
word: West Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Westtown
sense: Place names including town
word: Williamstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Wilsontown
sense: Place names including town
word: Wrightstown
sense: Place names including town
word: Yankeetown
sense: Place names including town
word: Yorktown
sense: Place names including town
word: York Town
sense: Place names including town
word: Youngstown
Related terms: suburban
rural
urban