borough

American  

[bur-oh, buhr-oh] / ˈbɜr oʊ, ˈbʌr oʊ /

noun

boroughs plural

1. (in certain states of the U.S.) an incorporated municipality smaller than a city.

2. one of the five administrative divisions of New York City.

3. British.

   1. an urban community incorporated by royal charter, similar to an incorporated city or municipality in the U.S.

   2. a town, area, or constituency represented by a Member of Parliament.

   3. (formerly) a fortified town organized as and having some of the powers of an independent country.

4. (in Alaska) an administrative division similar to a county in other states.

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borough British  

/ ˈbʌrə /

noun

1. a town, esp (in Britain) one that forms the constituency of an MP or that was originally incorporated by royal charter See also burgh

2. any of the 32 constituent divisions that together with the City of London make up Greater London

3. any of the five constituent divisions of New York City

4. (in the US) a self-governing incorporated municipality

5. (in medieval England) a fortified town or village or a fort

6. (in New Zealand) a small municipality with a governing body

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• boroughs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of borough

before 900; Middle English burw ( e ), borwg ( h ), borogh, bor ( u ) g, bur ( u ) g, burgh town, Old English burg fortified town; cognate with Old Norse borg, Old Saxon, Dutch burg, German Burg castle, Gothic baurgs city; MIr brí, brig, Welsh, Breton bre hill, Avestan bərəz- height; akin to Armenian bardzr, Hittite parkus high. See barrow ².

Explanation

A borough is a town that has its own government. It also can be a part of a big city that has powers of self-government. Manhattan is just one of the five boroughs that make up New York City. When a borough is part of a big city, it represents a more formal division than just a neighborhood. It’s a separate town, often one that has its own government. When you move from one borough to another, you might notice different tax rates or different parking regulations. In England the word often refers to a town that has a representative in Parliament. Pronounce the second syllable in borough with a long “o” sound, like the donkey (burro).

Example Sentences

Lamar, 29, lives in one of the new apartment buildings that has gone up in Trafford, a borough south-west of the city centre.

From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026

But her opponent, Brooklyn borough president Antonio Reynoso, had the support of the district’s retiring Congresswoman and the party establishment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026

State Assembly member Claire Valdez beat Brooklyn’s borough president for a newly open House seat.

From Slate • Jun. 24, 2026

The scale-up plan involves rolling out static facial recognition across central London and having drone coverage in every London borough in a year's time, the Met said in a press release.

From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026

He is a demolition expert and the Barracks was the local name for Barrington Heights, the tallest tower block in our South London borough.

From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd

Related Words

• district
• precinct