a place where people live that is larger than a village but smaller than a city
Maria moved to a small town near the mountains.
The town has a lively market every Saturday morning.
✦ Old English “tūn” meaning an enclosure or settlement; over time it came to refer to larger, fortified villages and eventually to the modern sense of a settlement smaller than a city.
the main business, shopping, and entertainment part of a city, usually near its center
On Saturday, we took the train to downtown for brunch.
The city's downtown is filled with historic theaters and cafes.
✦ Formed in 19th-century American English from down + town, originally referring to the lower part of Manhattan where business took place.
a district in a city outside China where many Chinese people live, shop, and run restaurants and other businesses
We went to Chinatown to enjoy authentic dumplings and buy lanterns for the festival.
Tourists love Chinatown because the colorful street markets are open late.
✦ Formed in the mid-19th century from China + town, first used in the United States during waves of Chinese immigration to describe neighborhoods where Chinese settlers lived and worked.
the town, city, or area where a person was born or lived during their childhood
She misses her hometown in the countryside.
He is proud of his hometown team.
✦ Early 19th-century compound of 'home' + 'town', originally two words, popularized in American English to denote one's place of origin.
