From Middle English, from Old English _tūn_ (“enclosure, village”), from Proto-Germanic _*tūną_ (“fence”) (compare West Frisian _tún_, Dutch _tuin_ (“garden”), German _Zaun_, Danish/Swedish _tun_), from Gaulish _dunon_ (“hill, hillfort”) (compare Welsh _din_ (“hill”), Irish _dún_ (“fortress”)), from Proto-Celtic _*dūnom_, from Proto-Indo-European _*dʰewh₂-_ (“to finish, come full circle”), (compare Hittite [script needed] (tuhhušta, “it is finished”), Latin _fūnus_ (“burial”), Ancient Greek _θνητός_ (thnētós, “mortal”), _θάνατος_ (thánatos, “death”), [script needed] (thaneīn, “to die”), Sanskrit [script needed] (ádhvanīt, “he vanished”)).

* (UK, US) IPA(key): /taʊn/, [tʰaʊ̯n] * Rhymes: -aʊn

Wikipedia TOWN (_plural_ TOWNS) * A settlement; an area with residential districts, shops and amenities, and its own local government; especially one larger than a village and smaller than a city. _This TOWN is really dangerous because these youngsters have Beretta handguns._ * Any more urbanized center than the place of reference. _I'll be in Yonkers, then I'm driving into TOWN to see the Knicks at the Garden tonight._ * (UK, historical) A rural settlement in which a market was held at least once a week. * The residents (as opposed to _gown_: the students, faculty, etc.) of a community which is the site of a university. * (colloquial) Used to refer to a town or similar entity under discussion. _Call me when you get to TOWN._ * (law) A municipal organization, such as a corporation, defined by the laws of the entity of which it is a part. * (obsolete) An enclosure which surrounded the mere homestead or dwelling of the lord of the manor. * (obsolete) The whole of the land which constituted the domain. * (obsolete) A collection of houses enclosed by fences or walls. (Can we find and add a quotation of Palsgrave to this entry?) * (UK, Scotland, dialect, obsolete) A farm or farmstead; also, a court or farmyard. USAGE NOTES An urban city is typically larger than a rural town, which in turn is typically larger than a village. In rural areas, a _town_ is considered urban. In urban areas, a _town_ is considered suburban; a village in the suburbs. DERIVED TERMS * Look at pages starting with town. TRANSLATIONS

* urban * suburban * rural

* nowt * wont, won't, wo'n't