township

noun

town·​ship ˈtau̇n-ˌship 

1

a

: 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

South Africa's summit had an ambitious agenda to make progress on solving some of the long-standing problems that have afflicted the developing world, and leaders and top government officials came together at an exhibition center near the township of Soweto, which was once home to Nelson Mandela. —Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2025

However, Brownstown Township police say that firearm hunting is not permitted anywhere in the Wayne County township except in parts of Pointe Mouilee State Game Area. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025

Initially, the township board voted against rezoning a parcel of farmland for the data center campus, before developer Related Digital sued Saline Township. —Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 15 Nov. 2025

Her child also attends school outside the township. —Caroline Beck, IndyStar, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

township

noun

town·​ship ˈtau̇n-ˌship 

1

: a unit of local government in some northeastern and north central states

2

: a division of territory in surveys of U.S. public land containing 36 square miles (about 93 square kilometers)