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

What that would entail is a department, like Valparaiso, contracting to serve surrounding townships with tax money collected to support the enterprise. —Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025

Martial law and a state of emergency would be imposed in more than 60 townships across nine regions and states due to the threat of violence and insurgency, the report said, many in border areas where the military is facing unprecedented resistance from rebel groups. —CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025

The Dayton Police Department, Oakwood Public Safety Department, and the Miami township police department are also assisting in this investigation. —Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Aug. 2025

What could go up here There isn't a specific plan that the park district currently backs for the Beech Acres site, Farrell said, but there has been a lot of conversation about adding an indoor sports complex to the township to serve residents and rec leagues year-round. —Sydney Franklin, The Enquirer, 29 July 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)