Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
A person living in a university area who is not associated with the university.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A person who has moved from a town or city to a rural area. Especially, one who is perceived not to have adopted rural ways.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A person familiar with the town (urbanised centre of a city) and with going out on the town; a street-wise person.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A chav.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, derogatory
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A working-class citizen in a metropolitan area.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A person who lives in a city or town, or has an urban outlook.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australia, New-Zealand, UK, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Diminutive of town; synonym of small town.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: diminutive, form-of, informal, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: townlet
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A person from Charlestown, Massachusetts, (especially) a working-class person of Irish American heritage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
resident of a college town not affiliated with the college
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: towny
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: townsman, towner
History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dewh2- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *duh2-nós? Proto-Celtic *dūnombor. Proto-Germanic *tūną Proto-West Germanic *tūn Old English tūn Middle English toun English town Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English -ie English townie From town + -ie (“person associated”).
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dewh2- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *duh2-nós? Proto-Celtic *dūnombor. Proto-Germanic *tūną Proto-West Germanic *tūn Old English tūn Middle English toun English town Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English -ie English townie From town + -ie (diminutive suffix).
From (Charles)town + -ie.
