borough

noun

bor·​ough ˈbər-(ˌ)ō 

ˈbə-(ˌ)rō

1

a

: a medieval fortified group of houses forming a town with special duties and privileges

b

: a town or urban constituency in Great Britain that sends a member to Parliament

c

: an urban area in Great Britain incorporated for purposes of self-government

2

a

: a municipal corporation proper in some states (such as New Jersey and Minnesota) corresponding to the incorporated town or village of the other states

b

: one of the five constituent political divisions of New York City

3

: a civil division of the state of Alaska corresponding to a county in most other states

Examples of borough in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Between 1-3 inches is predicted for the five boroughs, according to the National Weather Service. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025

What to Know The project was set to bring offshore wind turbines to Staten Island, the city's only borough Trump won in the 2024 presidential race. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025

Holder depicts the borough and its inhabitants in a warm and romantic light, giving the bittersweet love triangle a beautiful and complete resolution. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2025

After a church in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, began operating as a warming shelter for unhoused people, borough officials issued a zoning violation in November 2022. —Jonathan Burgos, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English burgh, from Old English burg fortified town; akin to Old High German burg fortified place, and probably to Old English beorg hill — more at barrow

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing borough

• borough English
• borough hall
• county borough
• inter-borough
• metropolitan borough
• municipal borough
• pocket borough
• rotten borough

Kids Definition

borough

noun

bor·​ough ˈbər-ō 

1

a

: a town or urban area in Great Britain that sends a member to Parliament

b

: a self-governing urban area in Great Britain

2

: a self-governing town or village in some states

3

: one of the five political divisions of New York City