village

noun, often attributive vil·lage \ ˈvi-lij \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of village

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

See village defined for English-language learners

See village defined for kids

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 of village from the Web

Having open water instead of sea ice outside Little Diomede Island in the Bering Strait is unheard of for February, but waves pummeled the village of Diomede in one storm caught on a video that made headlines, said Thoman.

— alex demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Nothing even comes close’: Western Alaska sea ice at lowest extent since 1850, database indicates," 12 Apr. 2018
Police said Wednesday that the violence began overnight when Indian soldiers cordoned off the village of Khudwani on a tip that rebels were hiding there.

— Fox News, "2 civilians, 1 Indian soldier killed in Kashmir fighting," 11 Apr. 2018
The violence began overnight when Indian soldiers cordoned off the southern village of Khudwani on a tip that rebels were hiding there, police said.

— Washington Post, "Troops kill 4 Kashmir civilians during anti-India protest," 11 Apr. 2018
The 35-year-old Indian superstar grew up in the small village of Kangathei in Manipur, described as a poor state in north-east India that borders Myanmar.

— chris scott, CNN, "Mary Kom: Get to know India's boxing superstar," 11 Apr. 2018
On the weekend, hop a catamaran or 4x4 to the nearby fishing village of Anjajavy, where a local market sets up shop under a giant mango tree.

— ashlea halpern, The Cut, "12 Epic, All-Inclusive Honeymoon Itineraries," 11 Apr. 2018
Five years ago: Thirteen people were shot to death during a pre-dawn, house-to-house rampage in the Serbian village of Velika Ivanca; authorities identified the gunman as a 60-year-old veteran of the Balkan wars who took his own life.

— cliff pinckard, cleveland.com, "Vehicle drags 2 Cleveland police officers during arrest attempt," 9 Apr. 2018
About a mile east of the picturesque village of Trafalgar, Trafalgar Falls are really twin falls called the Mother and Father Falls, which plunge 125 feet and 75 feet respectively.

— melanie reffes, USA TODAY, "Best Caribbean islands for nature lovers," 9 Apr. 2018
If approved, businesses would no longer be able to sell cigarettes to 18-year-olds, a change that the village of Wilmette recently enacted.

— staff report, chicagotribune.com, "Skokie could raise minimum age for tobacco to 21, while Niles isn't considering changes — for now: Village leaders," 9 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of village

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

village Synonyms

Synonyms

hamlet, vill, whistle-stop;

Related Words

cow town, Podunk;

outpost;

VILLAGE Defined for English Language Learners

village

noun

Definition of village for English Language Learners

: a small town in the country
: the people who live in a village

VILLAGE Defined for Kids

village

noun vil·lage \ ˈvi-lij \

Definition of village for Students

1 : a place where people live that is usually smaller than a town

2 : the people living in a village

The entire village turned out for the parade.

Learn More about village

See words that rhyme with village Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for village Spanish Central: Translation of village Nglish: Translation of village for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of village for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about village

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village

Definition of village

Examples of village in a Sentence

Recent Examples of village from the Web

Origin and Etymology of village

village Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

VILLAGE Defined for English Language Learners

village

Definition of village for English Language Learners

VILLAGE Defined for Kids

village

Definition of village for Students

Learn More about village

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village

Definition of village

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village

Definition of village for English Language Learners

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village

Definition of village for Students

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