suburb

noun

sub·​urb ˈsə-ˌbərb How to pronounce suburb (audio)
1
a
: an outlying part of a city or town
b
: a smaller community adjacent to or within commuting distance of a city
c
suburbs plural : the residential area on the outskirts of a city or large town
2
suburbs plural : the near vicinity : environs
suburban adjective or noun
suburbanite noun

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The Suburbs vs. the Urbs

Given that most of the common words in our language beginning sub- tend to have meanings concerned with “beneath” (as in subterranean and submarine) or “less than” (as with subpar), you would be forgiven for assuming that the suburbs were so named because of their location below, or their status as less than, their urban counterparts. Not so, however: sub- may have other meanings at the beginning of a word; in this case, it indicates not depth or inferiority, but proximity. In other words, the suburbs are a region close to the urbs.

Is urbs an English word? Yes; it is rarely used, but it refers typically to a city, particularly when distinguished from a suburb.

Examples of suburb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In an interview with The Times last year, DeFord detailed his teenage and young adult years in Antioch, a suburb of Nashville. Angie Orellana Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024 The city hired the firm to help with communication as a discussion about affordable housing and zoning laws caused a firestorm in the pricey suburb, pitting neighbors against one another and directing fierce anger toward the mayor and council. Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 5 June 2024 Hochul is becoming convinced the timing is not right because Manhattan businesses have not fully recovered from the pandemic and because Democrats are facing difficult House races in the New York City suburbs where the plan is unpopular, according to the official. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 5 June 2024 In 1995, Costco cofounder and former CEO Jim Sinegal, inspired by a Forbes article on branding, decided to create a single, unifying brand called Kirkland Signature, named for the Seattle suburb where Costco’s original headquarters were located. Phil Wahba, Fortune, 4 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for suburb 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suburb.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English suburbe, from Anglo-French, from Latin suburbium, from sub- near + urbs city — more at sub-

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of suburb was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near suburb

Cite this Entry

“Suburb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suburb. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

suburb

noun
sub·​urb ˈsəb-ˌərb How to pronounce suburb (audio)
1
a
: a part of a city or town near its outer edge
b
: a smaller community close to a city
2
plural : the area of homes close to or surrounding a city
suburban adjective or noun
Etymology

Middle English suburb "part around the outer edge of a city," from early French (same meaning), from Latin suburbium (same meaning), from sub "under, close to" and urbs "city"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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