suburb
Americannoun
-
a district lying immediately outside a city or town, especially a smaller residential community.
-
the suburbs, the area composed of such districts.
-
an outlying part.
noun
Other Word Forms
- suburbed adjective
- unsuburbed adjective
Etymology
Origin of suburb
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin suburbium, from sub- sub- + urb(s) “city” + -ium -ium
Explanation
A suburb is a residential district located on the outskirts of a city. If you live in the suburbs, you probably travel to the city for work. Suburb comes from Latin: sub means "below or near" and urbis means "city." You also will recognize this root in urban. Suburbs have more single-family homes than apartment buildings, and living there, you are more likely to have a yard with trees and grass. The downside is, if you work in the city, you might have a long commute that adds to the time you are away from your family.
Vocabulary lists containing suburb
Latin Root "sub" Words
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"The Civil Rights Movement"
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The United States
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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.
One of those arrested was Rebecca Ringstrom, who lives in Blaine, a quiet suburb north of Minneapolis.
From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026
His seven-person medical team were indicted over the conditions of his convalescence in the northern Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre, described by prosecutors as grossly negligent.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
The race in Terrebonne, a Montreal suburb, is considered a toss-up between the Liberals and the Bloc Quebecois.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Folan would often describe her early years of marriage and motherhood, in an idyllic white house in a tawny Connecticut suburb, as looking blissful on the surface.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
“He also said he wanted his father, Harry Ellsberg, who lives in a Detroit suburb, to know that he is deeply grateful for the expressions of support.”
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
