township

noun

town·​ship ˈtau̇n-ˌship 

1

a

: town sense 5

b

: a unit of local government in some northeastern and north central states usually having a chief administrative officer or board

c

: an unorganized subdivision of the county in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont

d

: an electoral and administrative district of the county in the southern U.S.

2

: a division of territory in surveys of U.S. public land containing 36 sections or 36 square miles

3

: an area in the Republic of South Africa that was segregated under apartheid for occupation by persons of non-European descent

4

: an ancient unit of administration in England identical in area with or a division of a parish

Examples of township in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In recent weeks, the township has had to reduce, and in some cases cease services, due to lack of insurance coverage for employees, buildings and vehicles, Henyard said. —Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2025

To encourage these reforms, state governments and the federal government should provide funding and incentives to cities and townships to undertake structural zoning reforms. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025

The township also increased the additional rate on Transient Lodging—bed taxes—from 2.8% to 5% (that tax is paid by those who stay in hotels or other overnight lodging). —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025

Late into their lame-duck session, Ohio lawmakers added the amendment on charging for public records to House Bill 315, which originally addressed township zoning laws. —Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

township

noun

town·​ship ˈtau̇n-ˌship 

1

: a unit of local government in some northeastern and north central states

2

: a division of territory in surveys of U.S. public land containing 36 square miles (about 93 square kilometers)