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 of village

• hamlet

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

He is lured by the sound of music down a Montmartre street to Nicholas de Lenfent (Joseph Potter), an old friend from his village who has grown up to be a talented violinist and rakish twink. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 June 2026

For further relaxation, head to tranquil Es Grau beach, a crescent of pale sand backed by a quiet fishing village, around four miles (7km) from Mahon. — Adrienne Wyper, TheWeek, 22 June 2026

The village is recommending up to a $340,000 incentive to be paid over a maximum of 10 years. — Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026

Founded in 1989 by Dominican immigrant Eligio Peña in the village of Freeport on New York’s Long Island, the grocery store chain eventually spread into seven states from Rhode Island to New Jersey and all the way down to North Carolina, where there are eight locations in Charlotte alone. — Andre James, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026

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