What does "borough" mean?
A fortified town.
Borough
/ˈbʌ.ɹə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A fortified town.
- Grammar: borough is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: administrative division, archbishopric, archdiocese, arrondissement.
- Useful contrasts: countryside, rural area, rural locality.
- Usage evidence: Manhattan is the best-known borough in New York.
How to use "borough"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "borough" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "borough" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "borough" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "borough" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "borough" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "administrative division" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "borough", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A fortified town. obsolete
- 2 an English town that forms the constituency of a member of parliament wordnet
- 3 A town or city. rare
- 4 one of the administrative divisions of a large city wordnet
- 5 A town having a municipal corporation and certain traditional rights.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 An administrative district in some cities, e.g., London.
"The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures."
- 7 An administrative unit of a city which, under most circumstances according to state or national law, would be considered a larger or more powerful entity; most commonly used in American English to define the five counties that make up New York City.
- 8 Other similar administrative units in cities and states in various parts of the world.
- 9 A district in Alaska having powers similar to a county.
- 10 An association of men who gave pledges or sureties to the king for the good behaviour of each other. British, historical
Proper Noun
- 1 The area, properly called Southwark, just south of London Bridge, which is at the north end of Borough High Street (OS grid ref TQ3279).
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Manhattan is the best-known borough in New York."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "borough"?
Common synonyms include: administrative division, archbishopric, archdiocese, arrondissement, bailiwick, banlieue.
How do you use "borough" in a sentence?
Manhattan is the best-known borough in New York.
How do you pronounce "borough"?
Pronounced /ˈbʌ.ɹə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English borwe, borgh, burgh, buruh, from Old English burh, burg, from Proto-West Germanic *burg, from Proto-Germanic *burgz (“stronghold, city”). Cognate with Dutch burcht, German Burg, Swedish borg, French bourg, Turkish burç. Doublet of Brough, burgh, and Bury.
Etymology 2
See borough (also for pronunciation).