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market town

American

noun

a town where a regularly scheduled market is held.

market town British

noun

a town that holds a market, esp an agricultural centre in a rural area

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of market town

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

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.

Retired lorry driver Stephen Doughty, flew into parking rage when he feared he would get a ticket from the lone warden in a market town.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

It was 01:00 on a Saturday when a sleeping market town was hit by the worst floods in living memory.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

Following a tip-off, Noble headed to the police station in the historic market town of Aylsham, more than an hour's drive from Andrew's home.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

This trend appears to have become an issue in more affluent areas of Cleveland, like Yarm, a pretty market town a short drive from Stockton.

From BBC • Dec. 11, 2025

Mr. Pumblechook’s premises in the High Street of the market town, were of a peppercorny and farinaceous character, as the premises of a cornchandler and seedsman should be.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023