village

noun

vil·​lage ˈvi-lij 

often attributive

1

a

: a settlement usually larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town

b

: an incorporated minor municipality

2

: the residents of a village

3

: something (such as an aggregation of burrows or nests) suggesting a village

4

: a territorial area having the status of a village especially as a unit of local government

Synonyms

• bourg
• hamlet
• townlet
• vill
• whistle-stop

Examples of village in a Sentence

Entire villages come to see the parade.

we stayed in a charming bed-and-breakfast in a lakeside village

Recent Examples on the Web

To get more businesses participating in the grant program, the village is sending targeted mailings to the property owners in Gurnee’s East Grand Corridor, according to Trujillo. —Erin Yarnall, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025

Israeli forces continue to occupy five hilltops in southern Lebanon, in violation of the ceasefire agreement, and have been destroying entire villages in the country. —Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 2 June 2025

The Bears successfully negotiated tax rates with village officials in Arlington Heights but are seeking assurances those rates won’t be heavily adjusted in future years. —Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025

Their former village is now more like an island, cut off by the flood waters. —Viola Kosome, NPR, 1 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French vilage, from vil manorial estate, farmstead, from Latin villa

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing village

• global village
• inter-village
• Potemkin village

Rhymes for village

• millage
• pillage
• spillage

Kids Definition

village

noun

vil·​lage ˈvil-ij 

1

: a place somewhat smaller than a town

2

: the people living in a village