: an English village having a periodic fair or market
2
: a particular town or city under consideration
the circus came to town
3
: the city or urban life as contrasted with the country
4
a
: the inhabitants of a city or town
practically the whole town turned out for the parade
b
: the townspeople of a college or university town as distinct from the academic community
relations between town and gown
5
: a New England territorial and political unit usually containing under a single town government both rural areas and urban areas not having their own charter of incorporation
also: a New England community governed by a town meeting
6
dialectal, England: a cluster or aggregation of houses recognized as a distinct place with a place-name : hamlet
7
: a group of prairie dog burrows
townadjective
Phrases
on the town
: in usually carefree pursuit of entertainment or amusement (such as city nightlife) especially as a relief from routine
the town of Jackson, Florida The nearest shopping mall is two towns away. The town plans to increase property taxes. We're heading to town later on.
Recent Examples on the WebIn this Utah mountain town, a higher percentage of residents work remotely than in most cities across the country, a new analysis shows. Leto Sapunar, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022 The outdoor project is a series of sixteen flags, which hang down a main road in town, toward the lake. Rica Cerbarano, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2022 One place with a lot of work ahead is Buckhorn School, which teaches nearly 350 K-12 students in this small town and took almost 8 feet of water. Phil Mccausland, NBC News, 31 Aug. 2022 On a dazzling Sunday morning, this small town tucked into a glacial valley begins to stir. Sara Miller Llana, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug. 2022 The best time to visit this mountain town is after the Fourth of July, according to Christine Lugo-Yergensen. Kristin Scharkey, Sunset Magazine, 29 Aug. 2022 Few cruise ships stop in this town of just 550 residents at the tip of Kupreanof Island in Frederick Sound. Dan Fellner, The Arizona Republic, 26 Aug. 2022 Randal builds a lean-to version of Quick Stop, like a bodega-shanty version, and becomes the unofficial mayor of this town. Clark Collis, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2022 This mountain town is outdoorsy yet luxe, and its location near the middle of the country means that everyone on your bicoastal guest list gets a fair shake. Sara Clemence, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English tūn enclosure, village, town; akin to Old High German zūn enclosure, Old Irish dún fortress
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6
Time Traveler
The first known use of town was before the 12th century