suburban

[suh-bur-buhn]

adjective

1. pertaining to, inhabiting, or being in a suburb or the suburbs of a city or town.

2. characteristic of a suburb or suburbs.

noun

1. a suburbanite.

2. a short overcoat for casual wear.

3. station wagon.

suburban

/ səˈbɜːbən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, situated in, or inhabiting a suburb or the suburbs

2. characteristic of or typifying a suburb or the suburbs

3. pejorative,  narrow or unadventurous in outlook

noun

1. another word for suburbanite

Other Word Forms

• suburbanism noun
• nonsuburban adjective
• semisuburban adjective
• unsuburban adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of suburban¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin suburbānus “located close to a city (especially to Rome),” equivalent to sub- + urb- (stem of urbs “city”) + -ānus adjective suffix; sub-, urban

Example Sentences

Edward shakes up the staid neighborhood because he’s a newcomer, an invader of sorts, into their calm, organized suburban bubble.

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Experts in healthcare economics say rural hospitals like Glenn Medical generally have fewer patients than suburban and urban communities, and those patients tend to be older and sicker, meaning they are more expensive to treat.

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Rural communities have seen persistently lower salaries than their suburban and urban counterparts.

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Danielle Gansky was 7 years old when an administrator at her upscale private girls’ school in suburban Philadelphia flagged problems with her academic performance.

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I was a bit chubby as a child, but I quickly became a sporty, suburban kid.

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Related Words

• rural