village

noun

vil·​lage ˈvi-lij 

often attributive

1

a

: a settlement usually larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town

b

: an incorporated minor municipality

2

: the residents of a village

3

: something (such as an aggregation of burrows or nests) suggesting a village

4

: a territorial area having the status of a village especially as a unit of local government

Synonyms

• bourg
• hamlet
• townlet
• vill
• whistle-stop

Examples of village in a Sentence

Entire villages come to see the parade.

we stayed in a charming bed-and-breakfast in a lakeside village

Recent Examples on the Web

With their village in ruins and no job opportunities, Mohamed was unable to provide for his family. —Unicef Usa, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025

That’s where Kennedy, coming from a 1,000 person village outside Belfast, found his Irish community. —Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 9 Jan. 2025

In 2022, the mayor of Saint-Gervais, a French village on Mont Blanc’s lower slopes, proposed that thrill seekers pay a €15,000 (around $15,600) deposit before attempting Mont Blanc: €10,000 for rescue operation costs and €5,000 for funeral fees. —Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025

It's eliminated essentially by neighbors talking to neighbors about how to collect water in the poorest and most marginalized villages in the world. —Rachel Dobkin, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French vilage, from vil manorial estate, farmstead, from Latin villa

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing village

• global village
• inter-village
• Potemkin village

Kids Definition

village

noun

vil·​lage ˈvil-ij 

1

: a place somewhat smaller than a town

2

: the people living in a village