borough

noun

bor·​ough ˈbər-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce borough (audio)
ˈbə-(ˌ)rō
1
a
: a medieval fortified group of houses forming a town with special duties and privileges
b
: a town or urban constituency in Great Britain that sends a member to Parliament
c
: an urban area in Great Britain incorporated for purposes of self-government
2
a
: a municipal corporation proper in some states (such as New Jersey and Minnesota) corresponding to the incorporated town or village of the other states
b
: one of the five constituent political divisions of New York City
3
: a civil division of the state of Alaska corresponding to a county in most other states

Examples of borough in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cunningham’s body was discovered early November 4 on the tracks of the Chalk Farm Underground Station in the borough of Camden, where she had last been seen at 2:30 a.m. November 2, on Jamestown Road. News Desk, Artforum, 5 Nov. 2024 With 472 stations and 28 routes covering all 5 boroughs, the subway is the most convenient option. Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Nov. 2024 Their historic rivalry spans 11 World Series dating back to 1941 when the boroughs of the Bronx and Brooklyn regularly competed for October supremacy amid the golden age of baseball in New York City. Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 In this photo illustration, a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger meal is seen at a McDonald’s on October 23, 2024 in the Flatbush neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Amelia Lucas,annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for borough 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English burgh, from Old English burg fortified town; akin to Old High German burg fortified place, and probably to Old English beorg hill — more at barrow

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of borough was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near borough

Cite this Entry

“Borough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/borough. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

borough

noun
bor·​ough ˈbər-ō How to pronounce borough (audio)
1
a
: a town or urban area in Great Britain that sends a member to Parliament
b
: a self-governing urban area in Great Britain
2
: a self-governing town or village in some states
3
: one of the five political divisions of New York City
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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