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township

noun
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town·​ship | \ ˈtau̇n-ˌship How to pronounce township (audio) \

Definition of township

1a : town sense 5
b : a unit of local government in some northeastern and north central states usually having a chief administrative officer or board
c : an unorganized subdivision of the county in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont
d : an electoral and administrative district of the county in the southern U.S.
2 : a division of territory in surveys of U.S. public land containing 36 sections or 36 square miles
3 : an area in the Republic of South Africa that was segregated under apartheid for occupation by persons of non-European descent
4 : an ancient unit of administration in England identical in area with or a division of a parish

Examples of township in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The government of Gauteng has denied its township development bill unfairly targets foreigners. — Gemma Gatticchi, Bloomberg.com, "Xenophobia Surges as Covid-19 Slams South African Economy," 20 Dec. 2020 Johnson never expected to be running one of the world’s largest financial services companies from her 115-year-old ancestral home in a township outside Boston. — Cheryl Hall, Dallas News, "Fidelity’s Abby Johnson is rich, powerful — and largely unknown," 13 Dec. 2020 The banquet is normally scheduled an hour before the township meeting begins and features light snacks and speeches by those who are leaving the board. — Jeff Forward, Chron, "Woodlands board gets updates on economy, tourism," 29 Oct. 2020 Demand on the food pantry is up about 50% from last year, said Bobbie DeKemper, its director, adding that in addition to the food bank, the pantry also relies on local businesses to provide for the township’s residents. — Amy Lavalley, chicagotribune.com, "Need continues for food in Porter County; director says demand on the food pantry is up about 50%," 18 Dec. 2020 The township’s 911 dispatch center received a call about a firearm discharged and the boy's injury at about 4 p.m., police said. — Susan Vela, Detroit Free Press, "Canton police investigate shooting of 8-year-old boy who reportedly died," 16 Dec. 2020 Due to the lasting economic damage, Dallas annexed the original Oak Cliff township in 1903, an area bounded by Colorado Boulevard, Cliff Street and Thirteenth Street, according to the state historical association. — Alyssa Fernandez, Dallas News, "Where was the first house in Oak Cliff? Curious Texas Investigates," 2 Dec. 2020 The planning began last month and also received support from the township’s police department, CERT, service department and the administrative staff. — cleveland, "Fire station drive-thru sparks Toys for Tots donations: Olmsted Dates and Data," 16 Nov. 2020 Dotson announced his candidacy on Aug. 7 with filing at township. — Jeff Forward, Chron, "Campaign treasurer rules cause confusion for many candidates," 28 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'township.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of township

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

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Time Traveler for township

Time Traveler

The first known use of township was in the 12th century

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Statistics for township

Last Updated

17 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Township.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/township. Accessed 21 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for township

township

noun
How to pronounce township (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of township

: a unit of local government in the U.S.

See the full definition for township in the English Language Learners Dictionary

township

noun
town·​ship | \ ˈtau̇n-ˌship How to pronounce township (audio) \

Kids Definition of township

1 : a unit of local government in some northeastern and north central states
2 : a division of territory in surveys of United States public lands containing 36 square miles (about 93 square kilometers)

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More from Merriam-Webster on township

Nglish: Translation of township for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of township for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about township

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