burgh
Americannoun
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(in Scotland) an incorporated town having its own charter and some degree of political independence from the surrounding area.
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Archaic. borough.
noun
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(in Scotland) a town, esp one incorporated by charter, that enjoyed a degree of self-government until the local-government reorganization of 1975
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an archaic form of borough
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of burgh
1350–1400; late Middle English (Scots); see borough; cf. broch
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Soon even the humblest burgh in the hinterland could lay claim to a flourishing pizzeria.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026
He added: "As Stirling prepares to celebrate its 900th anniversary as a royal burgh in 2024, this is another fascinating chapter in the area's story that attracts visitors from across the world."
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2023
"Some of the remains date back to when Edinburgh became a royal burgh at the start of the 12th century, when St. Giles' was first constructed."
From Fox News ● Jan. 14, 2020
As someone who — from his earliest memories — felt like an outsider in every tiny burgh that dotted his landscape, this brand of rootlessness was all I’d ever known.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2019
Under James VI. the town became a royal burgh in 1636, with freedom of the river from the Broomielaw to the Cloch.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 1 "Gichtel, Johann" to "Glory" by Various
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
