shantytown

[shan-tee-toun]

noun

1. a section, as of a city or town characterized by shanties and crudely built houses.

2. a whole town or city that is chiefly made up of shantylike houses.

shantytown

/ ˈʃæntɪˌtaʊn /

noun

1. a town or section of a town or city inhabited by very poor people living in shanties, esp in a developing country

Word History and Origins

Origin of shantytown¹

First recorded in 1880–85; shanty ¹ + town

Example Sentences

A Bad Bunny fan visiting the U.S. territory where the hip-hop star has been performing has been fatally shot at La Perla, a seaside shantytown, authorities say.

From Los Angeles Times

As a result, many of them settled in shantytowns on the city’s outskirts, living in makeshift sheet-metal homes.

From Los Angeles Times

The government of Haiti says police have launched a large-scale operation in a shantytown controlled by powerful gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, who is widely known as Barbecue.

From BBC

A sense of despair has engulfed the migrant camp of La Soledad, named after the colonial-era church that towers over the shantytown in downtown Mexico City.

From Los Angeles Times

Their shantytown, nestled in the middle-class neighbourhood of Jodhpur Park, thrummed with life.

From BBC