township

American  

[toun-ship] / ˈtaʊn ʃɪp /

noun

1. a unit of local government, usually a subdivision of a county, found in most midwestern and northeastern states of the U.S. and in most Canadian provinces.

2. (in U.S. surveys of public land) a region or district approximately 6 miles square (93.2 sq. km), containing 36 sections.

3. English History.

   1. one of the local divisions or districts of a large parish, each containing a village or small town, usually with a church of its own.

   2. the manor, parish, etc., itself.

   3. its inhabitants.

4. (in Australia)

   1. a small town or settlement serving as the business center of a rural area.

   2. the business center of a town or suburb.

5. (formerly, in South Africa) a segregated residential settlement for Black people, located outside a city or town.

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township British  

/ ˈtaʊnʃɪp /

noun

1. a small town

2. (in the Scottish Highlands and islands) a small crofting community

3. (in the US and Canada) a territorial area, esp a subdivision of a county: often organized as a unit of local government

4. (formerly, in South Africa) a planned urban settlement of Black Africans or Coloured people Compare location

5. English history

   1. any of the local districts of a large parish, each division containing a village or small town

   2. the particular manor or parish itself as a territorial division

   3. the inhabitants of a township collectively

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Etymology

Origin of township

First recorded before 900; Middle English tounship “community,” Old English tūnscipe “village community”; see origin at town, -ship

Explanation

A township is a community that's smaller or more widely scattered than a city. It would be a huge change to move from a little township in North Dakota to Los Angeles. The exact definition of township varies widely depending where you are in the world. Even in the U.S., the meaning differs from state to state. Townships are generally geographic areas that are smaller than counties and controlled by local governments. In some cases, several towns make up a township. In others, a township is simply a rural town that's spread out and sparsely populated. The Old English root meant "parish of a hundred."

Example Sentences

The updated policy, she said, would “protect the township and allow for responsible development of clean energy in the area.”

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

In 2020, Milan Township passed an ordinance that would allow the project to go forward, with Heath’s brother, the township supervisor, abstaining.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

According to Mlangeni's brother, Nicholas, the scramble in the township began when someone digging a fence-post hole noticed the soil's unusual hue and tested it in water.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

It has been described as a game-changer in the fight against HIV, and Okuhle worries that if more mobile clinics were to shut down, many young people and township residents would stop taking preventative medicine.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

“Hey, we’re not a township anymore. We’re building nice things now.”

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

Related Words

• area
• colony
• country
• district
• enclave
• field
• land
• nation
• neighborhood
• province
• sector
• state
• street
• terrain
• zone