borough

Meaning

Noun

• A fortified town.
• A town or city.
• A town having a municipal corporation and certain traditional rights.
• An administrative district in some cities, e.g., London.
• An administrative unit of a city which, under most circumstances according to state or national law, would be considered a larger or more powerful entity; most commonly used in American English to define the five counties that make up New York City.
• Other similar administrative units in cities and states in various parts of the world.
• A district in Alaska having powers similar to a county.
• An association of men who gave pledges or sureties to the king for the good behaviour of each other.

Origin

• From Middle English borwe, borgh, burgh, buruh, from Old English burh, from Proto-West Germanic *burg, from Proto-Germanic *burgz.
• Cognate with Dutch burcht, German Burg, Swedish borg, French bourg. burgh, and Brough.