town

noun

ˈtau̇n 

1

a

: a compactly settled area usually larger than a village but smaller than a city

b

: a compactly settled area as distinguished from surrounding rural territory

c

: a large densely populated urban area : city

d

: an English village having a periodic fair or market

2

: a particular town or city under consideration

the circus came to town

3

: the city or urban life as contrasted with the country

4

a

: the inhabitants of a city or town

practically the whole town turned out for the parade

b

: the townspeople of a college or university town as distinct from the academic community

relations between town and gown

5

: a New England territorial and political unit usually containing under a single town government both rural areas and urban areas not having their own charter of incorporation

also : a New England community governed by a town meeting

6

dialectal, England : a cluster or aggregation of houses recognized as a distinct place with a place-name : hamlet

7

: a group of prairie dog burrows

town adjective

see also:

go to town on the town

Synonyms of town

• city
• metropolis

Examples of town in a Sentence

the town of Jackson, Florida

The nearest shopping mall is two towns away.

The town plans to increase property taxes.

We're heading to town later on.

Recent Examples on the Web

The conclusion of the state's investigation into the shooting death of Kohen Wiley follows months of mourning and calls for justice, both nationally and in the small town where the shooting took place, about 40 miles south of Memphis. — Sophie Bates, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026

Southwold is one of Britain’s affluent seaside getaway towns, filled with Range Rovers and sunburned Londoners. — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Earlier this summer, a Los Angeles ice cream shop reported making nearly half its monthly rent, up to $1,500, betting on when cold fronts would roll into town, hedging against slow demand. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

Advocates envision it as a bucket-list destination akin to the Pacific Crest Trail and an economic driver for struggling rural towns. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English tūn enclosure, village, town; akin to Old High German zūn enclosure, Old Irish dún fortress

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Phrases Containing town

• blow town
• company town
• county town
• cow town
• dormitory town
• Get out of town
• ghost town
• go to town
• hit the town
• in town
• man-about-town
• market town
• new town
• on the town
• out-of-town
• paint the town (red)
• shire town
• small-town
• steel town
• sundown town
• tank town
• the only game in town
• the talk of the town
• the town
• toast of the town
• town car
• town centre
• town clerk
• town crier
• town hall
• town house
• town manager
• town meeting
• twin town

Rhymes for town

• bown
• clown
• crown
• drown
• frown
• gown
• lown
• noun
• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown

Kids Definition

town

noun

ˈtau̇n 

1

a

: a compactly settled area that is usually larger than a village but smaller than a city

b

: city sense 1

2

: the people of a town

town adjective